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One other full slate of second-round motion is on the menu on the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday. Solely 32 gamers will stay within the males’s draw by the top of the day. Hubert Hurkacz, Gael Monfils, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and Arthur Fils hope they’re on that checklist.
Listed below are my previews and picks for 2 of Saturday’s greatest matchups.
Gael Monfils vs. (8) Hubert Hurkacz
The primary three tournaments of Monfils’ season had been tough, however he has gained some momentum heading into spherical two of the Indian Wells Masters on Saturday. The Frenchman has superior a minimum of one spherical in three of his final 4 tournaments (together with this one) and in Rotterdam he was the one participant to take a set off Jannik Sinner. Monfils additionally reached the Doha semifinals and he started his fortnight within the desert with a 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Max Purcell on Thursday.
The 37-year-old will face Hurkacz on Saturday. They break up their first two conferences; Monfils rolled 6-4, 6-0 on the 2019 Rogers Cup earlier than Hurkacz received the job completed 6-2, 7-6(1) a couple of months later at a Masters 1000 in Shanghai. Hurkacz started his 2024 marketing campaign in red-hot vogue, main Poland to the United Cup remaining earlier than advancing to the QFs at Melbourne Park (misplaced to Daniil Medvedev in 5). With Monfils enjoying properly and situations within the desert not fairly preferrred for Hurkacz (he has by no means superior previous the QFs in IW), this contest will possible be aggressive.
Decide: Hurkacz in 3
Arthur Fils vs. (23) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Davidovich Fokina and Fils seem to have a magnetic attraction in attracts. They are going to be squaring off for the fourth time of their careers already, and needless to say Fils is just 19 years previous. They confronted one another on three events in 2023. Davidovich Fokina received in 4 units on the French Open, in straights at Wimbledon, and likewise in straights on the Shanghai Masters.
Fils beat Nuno Borges 7-6(5), 6-2 on Thursday, a fairly spectacular victory given Borges’ strong kind on the miment. Nevertheless, Fils is simply 3-5 in his final eight matches relationship again to the Auckland semis. Davidovich Fokina is coming off a quarterfinal effort in Dubai (misplaced to Medvedev) and appears to essentially benefit from the situations in Indian Wells. ADF has by no means misplaced his debut match in three earlier journeys to Palm Springs and he made a run to the quarterfinals in 2023 (misplaced to Medvedev). This has all of the makings of an entertaining affair, however an edge goes to Davidovich Fokina.
Decide: Davidovich Fokina in 3
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and likewise maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter at @Dimonator.
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