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An ATP 250 triple-header this week encompasses a host of prime stars eyeing early-season success. Cordoba, Dallas and Montpellier play host to tournaments from 6-12 February.
Diego Schwartzman leads the draw on the opening clay-court occasion of the 2023 season on the Cordoba Open, whereas Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe convey Prime 20 high quality to the arduous courts on the Dallas Open. The hard-hitting Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner spearhead the sphere on the Open Sud de France – Montpellier.
ATPTour.com seems to be forward at 5 issues to observe at every occasion.
View Attracts: Cordoba | Dallas | Montpellier
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN CORDOBA
1) Clay-Courtroom Kickoff: The ATP Tour motion strikes to clay for the primary time in 2023 in Cordoba. The ATP 250 occasion in central Argentina kicks off a string of tournaments in South America often called the “Golden Swing”, with Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Santiago additionally internet hosting occasions throughout the following month.
2) Prime Seed Schwartzman: The 30-year-old Schartzman final yr reached the semi-finals in Cordoba earlier than advancing to the championship match in each Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. The World No. 28 has gained two of his 4 ATP Tour titles on South American clay (Rio de Janeiro 2018, Buenos Aires 2021).
3) Ramos-Vinolas Defends Title: Albert Ramos-Vinolas delivered a sequence of dominant performances in Cordoba final yr, when he dropped only one set all week en path to his fourth ATP Tour crown. The third-seeded Spaniard will attempt to make one other sturdy run in Argentina, however he’s not the one former champion within the draw — 2020 titlist and former World No. 17 Cristian Garin and 2021 winner Juan Manuel Cerundolo will compete.
4) Residence Favourites Search Success: In addition to Schwartzman, 9 different Argentines (not together with qualifiers) characteristic within the draw at an occasion the place two of the 4 champions for the reason that inaugural 2019 version have been residence favourites. Amongst this yr’s contenders is Francisco Cerundolo, who’s seeded second as he tries to emulate his brother Juan Manuel’s 2021 win, whereas fourth seed Sebastian Baez seems to be to higher his 2022 quarter-final run.
5) Matos/Vega Hernandez Lead Doubles Subject: Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez have lifted 4 ATP Tour titles since first teaming final March and they’re the highest seeds in Cordoba. Amongst their rivals in Argentina are second seeds Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni, the latter of whom is a two-time champion on the occasion after lifting the trophy in 2019 alongside Roman Jebavy and in 2022 with Santiago Gonzalez.
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FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN DALLAS
1) Fritz, Tiafoe Lead Subject: Prime 20 Individuals Fritz and Tiafoe will likely be assured on the Dallas Open, the one indoor ATP Tour occasion in the US. The pair kicked off 2023 by serving to Group United States to victory on the inaugural United Cup and proved themselves able to dealing with residence strain in 2022, when Fritz lifted his maiden ATP Masters 1000 trophy in Indian Wells and Tiafoe reached his first Grand Slam semi-final on the US Open.
2) Individuals Out In Pressure: The return of males’s tour-level tennis to Dallas in 2022 after 33 years away noticed Reilly Opelka elevate the title. Though the reigning champion is unable to defend his crown as a consequence of harm, there are many different Individuals within the draw. The person Opelka defeated in final yr’s semi-finals, John Isner, has gained 14 of his 16 ATP Tour titles in his homeland. The 37-year-old is the fifth seed this week in Dallas, the place Marcos Giron, J.J. Wolf and Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open conqueror Mackenzie McDonald are all chasing their maiden tour-level title.
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3) Shapovalov & Kecmanovic Gamers To Watch: Denis Shapovalov and Miomir Kecmanovic are gamers to observe in Texas, the place they are going to make their Dallas Open debuts. Shapovalov, a former World No. 10 who’s pursuing his second ATP Tour title, is the third seed. The Serbian Kecmanovic reached the semi-finals on the occasion in 2020 when it was held in New York. The 23-year-old established himself as probably the most constant performers on Tour in 2022, when he reached 9 tour-level quarter-finals, however will eye a deeper run because the fourth seed in Texas.
4) Wu On The Rise: After not taking part in a tour-level match between March 2019 and January 2022 as a consequence of a sequence of accidents, the 23-year-old Chinese language star Wu Yibing has stormed to a career-high No. 112 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings with some dominant shows on the ATP Challenger Tour. Having additionally impressed on his current primary draw debuts on the US Open and the Australian Open, may Dallas present the setting for his ATP Tour breakthrough?
5) Murray/Venus Lead The Approach: The highest seeds within the doubles draw are Jamie Murray and Michael Venus, who’re a brand new pair this season. They’ve lifted 44 tour-level trophies between them and can attempt to declare their first as a duo in Dallas.
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN MONTPELLIER
1) Rune Flying Excessive: Regardless of an agonising five-set exit to Andrey Rublev within the Australian Open fourth spherical, Rune will likely be feeling assured as he returns to European indoor arduous courts for the primary time since his red-hot end to 2022.
The 19-year-old gained 20 out of twenty-two matches indoors throughout September, October and November to shut out final season, lifting trophies in Stockholm and Paris on the way in which. Now at a career-high No. 9 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, can the Dane recapture that kind as the highest seed on his Montpellier debut?
2) Second Seed Sinner: The Italian Sinner seems to be to construct on his stable begin to 2023 in Montpellier, the place he made a first-round exit on each his earlier appearances in 2020 and 2021.
The 21-year-old is 5-2 for the season after a quarter-final run in Adelaide and reaching the fourth spherical on the Australian Open, and he’ll take additional confidence understanding hat three of his six tour-level titles have come on indoor arduous courts.
3) Bublik Eyes Repeat Success: Alexander Bublik surprised Alexander Zverev to clinch his maiden ATP Tour title in Montpellier a yr in the past, and the entertaining Kazakhstani returns because the sixth seed to defend his crown in southern France. The 25-year-old will hope fond recollections of his 2022 triumph can spur him on as he seeks his first match win of the season.
4) All The Approach For RBA? Roberto Bautista Agut’s model of flat hitting was a daily characteristic of the 2023 Australian swing, throughout which the Spaniard reached the championship match on the Adelaide International 2 and battled previous former World No. 1 Andy Murray en path to the fourth spherical on the Australian Open.
The 11-time tour-level titlist now seems to be to switch that kind indoors in Montpellier, the place he reached the ultimate in 2021, as he competes because the fourth seed.
5) Krawietz/Puetz Headline Doubles: A stacked doubles draw stuffed with title-winning expertise is led by German pairing Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz. Santiago Gonzalez is seeded second alongside three-time Montpellier champion Edouard Roger-Vasselin, whereas Andreas Mies/John Peers and Robin Haase/Matwe Middelkoop may even attempt to make deep runs in France.
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