Citi Open 2022: Tommy Paul vs Nick Kyrgios preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (14) Tommy Paul vs Nick Kyrgios
Date: August 4, 2022
Tournament: Citi Open 2022
Round: Second round (Round of 32)
Venue: Washington, D.C., United States
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $708,530
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | Australia - beIN Sports
Tommy Paul vs Nick Kyrgios preview
World No. 34 Tommy Paul will square off against World No. 63 Nick Kyrgios in the second round of the Citi Open on Thursday.
Paul has had a promising season so far, garnering 25 wins from 48 matches, including a last four finish at the Delray Beach Open in February. The American also made the quarterfinals in Adelaide, Acapulco, Queen's Club, Eastbourne and most recently in Atlanta.
He picked up dominant wins over Jack Sock and Soonwoo Kwon at the Atlanta Open but fell to Ilya Ivashka in an engrossing three-set bout encounter in the last eight. The 25-year-old entered the Citi Open as the 14th seed and received a direct entry into the second round.
Kyrgios, on the other hand, has been on a mission this season. He reached the finals of a major tournament for the first time in his career at Wimbledon. The Australian also reached the semifinals in Houston, Stuttgart and Halle.
The 27-year-old defeated the likes of Brandon Nakashima, Cristian Garin and Rafael Nadal (W/O) en route to the summit clash at the All England Club. Though he played at his best against Novak Djokovic, he couldn't outfox the former World No. 1 in the final.
Kyrgios played his first match of the hardcourt swing against Marcos Giron on Tuesday and registered a commanding win in Washington.
Efficient 👌
In his first singles match since the Wimbledon final, @NickKyrgios storms past Giron 6-3 6-2 in his Washington opener!
#CitiOpen https://t.co/AfVD2JSjvm
Tommy Paul vs Nick Kyrgios head-to-head
Kyrgios leads the head-to-head against Paul 1-0. He defeated him at the 2022 U.S. Claycourt Championships in Houston in straight sets 6-4, 6-2.
Tommy Paul vs Nick Kyrgios odds
All odds are sourced by BetMGM.
Tommy Paul vs Nick Kyrgios prediction
Apart from a disappointing claycourt season, Tommy Paul has been quite consistent throughout the year. He's put up some eye-catching performances, outclassing world-class competitors like Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner.
The American has a great temperament on the court and a variety of shots in his armor. He uses a topspin forehand and a slice backhand to great effect while setting up his points. His short backswing allows him to be aggressive on the return of serve.
Kyrgios, on the other hand, put up a clinical performance in his previous match and looks poised to make another deep run this year. He won 82 per cent of his first serve points against Marcos Giron without losing his serve. The Australian looked particularly dangerous on his backhand.
Paul is a swift mover on the court and often relies on his speed to cover for the lapse in shot selection, but against an opponent like Kyrgios, he won't have too much time to execute his shots.
Kyrgios seems to be in the form of his life at the moment and will be eager to build some momentum ahead of the hardcourt Major. The former World No. 13 should be able to overpower the American and secure his place in the next round.
Pick: Kyrgios to win in three sets.