Canadian Open 2022 Day 1: Men's singles predictions ft. Andy Murray vs Taylor Fritz and Denis Shapovalov vs Alex de Minaur

Andy Murray and Taylor Fritz will be in action on Day 1 of the Canadian Open

Day 1 of the Canadian Open will commence on Monday with the men's singles tournament. Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz will not be in action but a number of good players will take to the court and look to get off to a winning start.

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray will face Taylor Fritz while Denis Shapovalov will be up against Alex de Minaur. The likes of Stan Wawrinka, Diego Schwartzman and Roberto Bautista Agut will also feature on the opening day in Montreal.

On that note, let’s take a look at how the matches on Day 1 of the Canadian Open could pan out.

#1 Andy Murray vs Taylor Fritz

Andy Murray will face Taylor Fritz in what will be perhaps the most highly anticipated match on Day 1 of the Canadian Open.

Fritz has produced some impressive performances so far this season and has lifted the Indian Wells Masters title. Murray, meanwhile, is not the player he once used to be but has put in a few good displays this year.

The 35-year-old is back in the top 50 of the ATP rankings and will look to give the World No. 13 a run for his money here. However, Fritz has form on his side and will most likely come out on top in this match to reach the second round of the Canadian Open.

Predicted winner: Taylor Fritz.

Un premier tour qui ressemble à une finale. 👀

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#2 Denis Shapovalov vs Alex de Minaur

Denis Shapovalov's clash with Alex de Minaur is another highly-anticipated match at the Canadian Open between two fine young talents.

The Australian will enter the match as the favorite to win given his form this season. De Minaur has won 32 out of 49 matches so far, while Shapovalov has triumphed in 17 out of 33 matches.

Though the former boasts a superior record in 2022, the Canadian can be a menace on his day and will also have the crowd on his side. It will be interesting to see how De Minaur's athleticism matches up with Shapovalov's dynamic playing style.

The match promises to be an exciting one but the Australian looks to be in good touch and should be able to come out on top.

Predicted winner: Alex de Minaur.

Notable opening rounds 👀

🇨🇦 Shapovalov vs De Minaur 🇦🇺
🇨🇭 Wawrinka vs Ruusuvuori 🇫🇮
🇪🇸 Carreno Busta vs Berrettini 🇮🇹
🇬🇧 Murray vs Fritz 🇺🇸

#3 Diego Schwartzman vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

Twelveth seed Diego Schwartzman will start his Canadian Open campaign against the talented Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. This will be the fourth meeting between them, with the Argentine currently leading 3-0 in their head-to-head.

Schwartzman has won 26 out of 43 matches so far this season, while Davidovich Fokina has triumphed in 18 out of 37 matches. While the Spaniard will enter the match as the underdog, he has produced a few impressive performances so far this season.

It is worth noting that neither player has done particularly well on hard-courts so far this year. However, Schwartzman should be able to get the better of Davidovich Fokina and seal his place in the second round of the Canadian Open.

Predicted Winner: Diego Schwartzman.

#4 Roberto Bautista Agut vs Marcos Giron

Roberto Bautista Agut will face United States' Marcos Giron in the first round of the Canadian Open in what will be their very first meeting. The Spaniard will enter the match as the favorite to win given his relatively superior run of form.

Bautista Agut has won 27 out of 38 matches so far this year, while Giron has been the winner in only 11 out of 32 matches. The 14th seed's counter-punching skills and ability to quickly switch from defense to offense will likely make life hard for Giron.

Bautista Agut should have little trouble getting the better of the American.

Predicted Winner: Roberto Bautista Agut.

#5 Holger Rune vs Fabio Fognini

Holger Rune is among the most talented teenagers on the circuit at present and will face Fabio Fognini in the opening round of the Canadian Open.

This will be the first meeting between the two players and their records this season have been more or less identical. While Fognini has won 14 out of 29 matches so far, Rune has come out on top in 17 out of his 35 matches.

The Dane has produced some promising performances in 2022, most notably reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open. However, Rune's performances on hard courts haven't been particularly good this season.

Fognini's experience and his opponent's indifferent form on the surface might just see him through to the second round of the Canadian Open.

Predicted winner: Fabio Fognini.

#6 Jenson Brooksby vs Alexander Bublik

Jenson Brooksby will start his campaign at the Canadian Open against the big-serving Alexander Bublik.

The 21-year-old American is one to watch out for and has produced some promising performances so far this season. Brooksby hits his shots with a lot of power but is also a very solid defender.

Bublik will rely heavily on his strong serve and forehand to disrupt his opponent's style. While the Kazakh will not go down without a fight, Brooksby should be able to defeat him and reach the second round.

Predicted winner: Jenson Brooksby.

#7 Stan Wawrinka vs Emil Ruusuvuori

Veteran Stan Wawrinka will face Emil Ruusuvuori in the first round of the Canadian Open in what will be their very first meeting on the tour.

This will also be Wawrinka's first match on hardcourts this season and while he has been far from his best, he cannot be written off due to his experience. Ruusuvuori, meanwhile, has produced some good performances in 2022, recently defeating Hubert Hurkacz at the Citi Open.

He will no doubt make life difficult for Wawrinka. The Swiss has the experience and quality to put up a tough fight but Ruusuvuori is likely to come out on top in this contest.

Predicted Winner: Emil Ruusuvuori.

#8 Francisco Cerundolo vs Karen Khachanov

Francisco Cerundolo and Karen Khachanov will lock horns for the first time in a first-round clash at the Canadian Open.

The Argentine has produced some impressive performances lately, winning the Bastad Open and reaching the semifinals of the Hamburg European Open. Cerundolo also made it to his maiden Masters 1000 semifinal on the hardcourts of Miami, so Khachanov has a daunting task ahead of him.

The Russian at his best can be tough to beat and will certainly put up a fight, but Cerundolo should ultimately be able to get the win in this match.

Predicted Winner: Francisco Cerundolo.