Winston-Salem R2 previews and picks: Mayer vs. Goffin, Sousa vs. Janowicz

David Goffin’s 23-match winning streak will be put to the test against an in-form Leonardo Mayer on Tuesday in Winston-Salem. Joao Sousa also has a tough opener on his hands as he faces Jerzy Janowicz.

(Q) David Goffin vs. (4) Leonardo Mayer

In no matchup this entire week at the Winston-Salem Open will two players be hotter than Goffin and Mayer. Goffin has won 23 matches in a row, with three Challenger titles, his first ATP winner’s trophy in Kitzbuhel, two qualifying victories at this event, and a 6-3, 6-4 scalp of defending champion Jurgen Melzer on Monday. The 23-year-old Belgian has climbed from 106th in the rankings as recently as last month to No. 62.

Mayer also captured his first ATP title this summer, triumphing at a 500-point event on the clay courts of Hamburg. The 26th-ranked Argentine will be a top 24 seed at the upcoming U.S. Open for his efforts. On the downside, Mayer has not played a match of any kind in almost a month and he has not played a match on a hard court since the Australian Open. As a result, Goffin should have the edge in Tuesday’s first-ever meeting between the two men.

Pick: Goffin in 3

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(6) Joao Sousa vs. Jerzy Janowicz

Sousa and Janowicz will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers on Tuesday. Their only previous encounter came last fall on the indoor hard courts of Valencia, where Janowicz prevailed 6-2, 7-5. The 52nd-ranked Pole has been mired in a massive, season-long slump but he upset Grigor Dimitrov from just about out of nowhere last week in Cincinnati. Janowicz opened on Monday in Winston-Salem with a 6-1, 6-4 rout of Carlos Berlocq.

An impressive run last fall that included his first ATP title in Kuala Lumpur is the main reason why Sousa earned an opening-round and will also be seeded at the U.S. Open. Portugal’s top player, however, has cooled off and is an awful 1-5 dating back to the Bastad final shortly after Wimbledon. On a relatively fast hard court, Janowicz should have too much power for a slumping Sousa.

Pick: Janowicz in 2

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