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The tennis carnival has shifted to the Almaty Open this week. The first four days of the event have kept fans on the edge of their seats.
Australians James Duckworth and Bernard Tomic entered the main draw in Almaty. While Duckworth managed to secure a place in the quarterfinals, Tomic was eliminated by Corentin Moutet in the first round.
Americans Brandon Nakashima and Mackenzie McDonald also featured at the hardcourt event in Kazakhstan. Both players failed to make their mark and chalked up early exits this year.
With all to play for in the quarterfinals, the remaining eight players will be eager to stake their claim for the title. On that note, let's look at the lineup and predictions for Friday.
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1) Daniil Medvedev vs Fabian Marozsan
Medvedev has had a frustrating season so far. Despite having a great record at the Majors, the Russian chalked up first-round exits in Melbourne, Paris, Wimbledon, and New York. He entered Almaty after a semifinal appearance in Shanghai and defeated Adam Walton in his opening round.
Meanwhile, Fabian Marozsan would've expected more from him this year. Apart from a semifinal appearance in Munich, he hasn't really made a valuable contribution on tour. The Hungarian defeated Luca Nardi in the first round and then showed his class against Brandon Nakashima in the second.
Marozsan has yet to drop a set at the Almaty Open and will be tough to beat in the quarterfinals. However, the Russians resilience in the last few weeks will give him a slight edge in this round.
Predicted Winner: Daniil Medvedev to win in straight sets.
2) Alex Michelsen vs Shintaro Mochizuki
Michelsen is one of the higly rated youngster on tour. After a title-winning run in Estoril, he reached the semifinals in Mallorca and the quarterfinals in Toronto. The American started his campaign in Almaty by cruising past Beibit Zhukayev and Aleksandar Vukic in the first two rounds.
Meanwhile, Shintaro Mochizuki has played most of his tennis on the ATP Challenger circuit. After a second round exit in New York, he reached the semifinals of the Jingshan Challenger. The Japanese defeated Arthur Cazaux and Luciano Darderi in the first two rounds.
Both players are yet to drop a set in the Almaty Open. Considering their record on the main tour and form in Almaty, Michelsen will be a favorite to solve this round.
Predicted Winner: Alex Michelsen to win in straight sets.
3) Flavio Cobolli vs James Duckworth
Predicted Winner: Flavio Cobolli to win in three sets.
4) Corentin Moutet vs Jan-Lennard Struff
Predicted Winner: Corentin Moutet to win in three sets.
