Atlanta Open 2023: J.J. Wolf vs Maxime Cressy preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: Maxime Cressy vs (8) J.J. Wolf
Date: July 27, 2023
Tournament: Atlanta Open 2023
Round: Second Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Hardcourt
Prize money: $737,170
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime | Australia - beIN Sports | Canada - TSN
J.J. Wolf vs Maxime Cressy preview
Compatriots J.J. Wolf and Maxime Cressy are set to face off in the second round of the 2023 Atlanta Open on Thursday (July 27).
Wolf kicked off his campaign here against qualifier Jason Jung. The former wasted no time in securing a headstart for himself as he broke his opponent's serve early on in the first set to lead 4-1. The American snagged another break of serve in the eighth game of the set to claim the opener.
Jung proved to be no match for Wolf in the second set either. The latter jumped to a 3-0 lead before the former halted his momentum with a hold of serve. The American then bagged the next three games to win the match 6-2, 6-1.
Cressy, meanwhile, faced teenager Alex Michelsen, who finished as the runner-up at last week's Hall of Fame Open in Newport. He also lost to the youngster in the first round of the same tournament.
Cressy was better prepared this time around. He secured the decisive break in the eighth game of the first set and served out the set in the following game. Cressy went 3-1 up in the second set, courtesy of an early break in his favor. The 26-year-old broke Michelsen's serve once again in the final game of the match to win 6-3, 6-3.
J.J. Wolf vs Maxime Cressy head-to-head
Wolf leads Cressy 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2022 Firenze Open in straight sets.
J.J. Wolf vs Maxime Cressy odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
J.J. Wolf vs Maxime Cressy prediction
Cressy's first-round win over Michelsen was just his second victory since the beginning of March. The last few months have been rather difficult for him, with him dropping out of the top 100 of the ATP rankings as well.
Cressy showed signs of his former self with how he played in the previous round. He won 93% of his first-serve points and didn't face a single break point.
Wolf, too, had it quite easy against Jung in the last round. He has been in better form compared to Cressy, so he'll be favored to win this all-American showdown. However, if the latter continues to serve this well, he could score an upset win.
That said, if Wolf is able to get the return in play and prolong the rallies, he'll be able to get the upper hand over Cressy. The 24-year-old managed to upstage his fellow American the last time they played and based on their recent results, history is likely to repeat itself.
Pick: J.J. Wolf to win in straight sets.