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Carlos Alcaraz and Felix Auger-Aliassime will be in action on Day 6 of the BNP Paribas Open.
We will see the remainder of the third-round singles matches take place with a total of eight men's singles set to be played. Top seed Alcaraz will face Tallon Griekspoor while defending champion Taylor Fritz will be up against Sebastian Baez.
Andy Murray will be eager to reach the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open as he faces fellow Brit Jack Draper, while Hubert Hurkacz and Tommy Paul will clash in what is expected to be an interesting matchup.
Another interesting fixture on Day 6 is the experienced Stan Wawrinka facing seventh seed Holger Rune. The likes of Auger-Aliassime and Jannik Sinner will also be in action.
So, without further ado, let's take a look at the predictions for some of the highly-anticipated men's singles matches on Day 6 of the BNP Paribas Open.
#1. Carlos Alcaraz vs Tallon Griekspoor
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz will face 31st seed Tallon Griekspoor in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. Alcaraz started the tournament with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Thanasi Kokkinakis, while Griekspoor beat Guido Pella 7-6(3), 7-6(4) in his opening match.
The Spaniard has suffered a few injuries in recent months and there were doubts regarding his participation in Indian Wells too. However, he has played very well whenever he has been in action, winning the Argentina Open and reaching the final of the Rio Open.
Griekspoor has had some good moments so far this season, winning the Maharashtra Open and reaching the semifinals of the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam.
The Dutchman has produced some promising performances so far but Alcaraz will probably be too much for him to handle.
Predicted Winner: Carlos Alcaraz
#2. Hubert Hurkacz vs Tommy Paul
Ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz will face 17th seed Tommy Paul in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. It will be the second meeting between the two, with Hurkacz winning their previous clash 7-5, 7-6(4) at the 2021 Paris Masters.
Both players booked their place in the third round of the Masters 1000 event with 6-3, 6-3 wins in the second round. Hurkacz beat Alexei Popyrin while Paul triumphed over Jan-Lennard Struff.
The Pole has produced some decent performances lately, winning the Open 13 Provence in Marseille and reaching the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships. Paul has had a very good start to the season as he reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and the final of the Mexican Open in Acapulco.
The match promises to be an exciting contest and both players have a fair chance of winning. However, Hurkacz might just about manage to prevail due to his composure.
Predicted Winner: Hubert Hurkacz
#3. Taylor Fritz vs Sebastian Baez
Defending champion Taylor Fritz will face 30th seed Sebastian Baez in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. It will be the second meeting between the two, with the American winning their last fixture 6-1, 6-1 at the 2022 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Fritz had to overcome compatriot Ben Shelton 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the second round while Baez registered a comprehensive 6-3, 6-1 win over Rinky Hijikata.
The 25-year-old has produced some good performances so far this season, winning the Delray Beach Open and reaching the semifinals of the Mexican Open. He also played an instrumental role in Team USA winning the United Cup.
Baez fared well during the South American claycourt swing, winning the Cordoba Open and reaching the quarterfinals of the Rio Open. However, he is bound to have a tough task against Fritz, who will have the support of the crowd apart besides his quality.
The American should be able to get the better of Baez and book his place in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Predicted Winner: Taylor Fritz
#4. Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Francisco Cerundolo
Eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime will face Francisco Cerundolo in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. It will be the second meeting between the two, with Auger-Aliassime beating the Argentine 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 when they faced each other in the third round of the Australian Open.
The Canadian booked his place in the third round with a 7-6(5), 6-4 win over Pedro Martinez while Cerundolo had to grind out a win against Jack Sock, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Auger-Aliassime hasn't had the best of starts to the 2023 season, winning 9 out of 14 matches so far. His longest run in a tournament came at the Qatar Open, where he reached the semifinals. Cerundolo has had a disappointing start to 2023 with 7 wins out of 14 matches so far.
The Argentine is a fine talent who is capable of doing well on hard courts. However, Auger-Aliassime looks in relatively better form and should manage to get past him.
Predicted Winner: Felix Auger-Aliassime.
#5. Andy Murray vs Jack Draper
Andy Murray will face Jack Sock in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. It will be the very first meeting between the two Brits.
Both players reached the third round with straight-set wins, with Murray beating Radu Albot 6-4, 6-3 while Draper eliminated compatriot Dan Evans 6-4, 6-2.
Murray may not have won a tournament this season but he has produced some impressive performances and was the epitome of resilience in several matches. Draper has shown glimpses of his talent over the past couple of months and it won't be long before he starts impressing consistently.
The 21-year-old will probably put up a tough fight, but Murray's experience and grit should see him get the win and move on to the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Predicted Winner: Andy Murray
#6. Stan Wawrinka vs Holger Rune
Stan Wawrinka will take on seventh seed Holger Rune in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. It will be the second meeting between the two, with Rune edging out the Swiss 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(3) in their previous encounter, which came in the first round of last season's Paris Masters.
Wawrinka maybe 37 years old but he still has some good tennis left in him. The Swiss reached the quarterfinals of the Rotterdam Open and the semifinals of the Open 13 Provence. He will be in good spirits after defeating 26th seed Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6(8), 6-4 in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Rune has produced some impressive performances over the past 6-7 months, which saw him enter the top 10 of the ATP ATP rankings. He recently reached the semifinals of the Mexican Open in Acapulco and did well to defeat Mackenzie McDonald 7-5, 6-3 in the second round in Indian Wells.
Wawrinka might trouble the Dane but the latter should be able to get past him.
