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World No. 14 Andrey Rublev will look to kick off his American hardcourt swing on a positive note when he takes on Britain's Dan Evans in the opening round of the Western & Southern Open.
Rublev is one of four players this year to have won multiple ATP titles. The Russian won the first two ATP 250s of 2020, at Qatar and Adelaide, and had an 11-match winning streak before falling to Alexander Zverev in the Round of 16 at the Australian Open.
Rublev continued his good run of form by producing decent results in Rotterdam and Dubai before the tour was forced to go on a unscheduled break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 22-year-old was also a part of the much maligned Adria Tour organized by Novak Djokovic, but was one of the lucky players at the event who wasn't didn't contract coronavirus.
Dan Evans on his part has had some big wins too this year, over the likes of David Goffin, Alex de Minaur and Fabio Fognini. Ranked a career-best No. 28 in the world, the 30-year-old is making his first ever appearance in the main draw of the Cincinnati Masters.
Both Rublev and Evans have had limited match practice during the lockdown. The Russian played in the Adria Tour, reaching the final of its Zadar leg before it was cancelled. Evans meanwhile showed everyone why he is deservedly the British No. 1, as he won the 'Battle of the Brits' exhibition tournament by beating Kyle Edmund in the final.
Interestingly, Andrey Rublev's last match on tour before the break was against none other than Dan Evans - at Dubai, back in February. That was also Evans' last win on tour; after beating Rublev in the quarterfinals, the Brit lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semis.
Andrey Rublev would be hungry for revenge in New York, and that only adds to the excitement of the match which is already expected to produce some good tennis from both sides of the court.
Andre Rublev vs Dan Evans head-to-head
The head-to-head between Andrey Rublev and Dan Evans currently stands dead even at 1-1, with both matches coming in 2020.
Andrey Rublev eked out a hard-fought three-set victory over Evans on his way to the title in Adelaide. But when the pair had a rematch in the Dubai quarterfinals, Evans won in straight sets.
Rublev and Evans had also previously met in the qualifying rounds of Indian Wells 2019, with Rublev getting an easy win, and in 2016 on the Challenger tour in Dallas where the Brit won in three sets. So there's really never been much to separate the two.
Andrey Rublev vs Dan Evans prediction
Andrey Rublev is one of the Next Gen front-runners, and is expected to break into the top 10 soon. He is known for his powerful forehand which can unleash winners from anywhere in the court, but his second serve can be vulnerable under pressure.
Rublev often coughs up a huge number of double faults to give away big leads. The 22-year-old has also had trouble with his backhand in the past, but he seems to have worked really hard on that wing over the past year or so.
On the other hand, despite being Britain's top-ranked player, Dan Evans has largely failed to live up to his early potential. Evans has solid groundstrokes which he mixes up well with his skills at the net, but he simply doesn't possess enough power to consistently trouble the big names.
This match will likely see the two players trading a number of service breaks, with plenty of variety from Evans' end and some raw power from Rublev's. And while the Russian would start as the favorite, Evans could make it interesting if he takes an early lead.
Prediction: Andrey Rublev to win in straight sets.
Match details
Tournament: Western & Southern Open 2020
Venue: Court 17, Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $4,674,780
Live telecast: India - Sony Ten 2 | USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN
Match timing: 1 pm EDT, 10.30 pm IST
