Canadian Open 2024 Day 4: Men's singles predictions ft. Grigor Dimitrov vs Alexei Popyrin
Day 4 of the 2024 Canadian Open will involve third-round action in the men's draw as the players will battle it out for a spot in the quarter-finals of the event. With the absence of prominent seeds like Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, the draw has opened up for the other players.
Former Top 10 player Kei Nishikori has shown signs of his old form and advanced to the third round of the Masters in 2021. The Japanese player was the runner-up at the Canadian Open back in 2016, losing to Novak Djokovic.
Seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov will also be in action on day 4. The Bulgarian has reached the third round of the Canadian Open since 2018.
Let's look at some of the matches scheduled to take place on day 4 of the Canadian Open.
# 1. Grigor Dimitrov vs Alexei Popyrin
Seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov will face off against Alexei Popyrin of Australia in the third round of the 2024 Canadian Open. Dimitrov has a 33-11 record in 2024, with a title at the Brisbane International. The Bulgarian dispatched another Australian Rinky Hijikata in straight sets 6-1, 6-0.
Alexei Popyrin has had an average season in 2024, with a record of 16-15 so far. At the Canadian Open, the unseeded Australian defeated Tomas Machac in the first round. Popyrin then caused an upset, when he defeated eleventh-seeded Ben Shelton in the second round in straight sets.
The head-to-head between the pair is tied at 1-1, as Dimitrov retired from their last match at the 2021 US Open. However, current rank and seeding indicate that the Former World No. 3 should be able to win the game.
Predicted winner- Grigor Dimitrov
#2. Kei Nishikori vs Nuno Borges
Nishikori is returning to the ATP Tour after undergoing hip surgery in 2022. The former World No. 4 was ranked beyond 500 and used his protected ranking to enter the Canadian Open. Before Canada, Nishikori won just one match in 2024. However, at this event, he defeated Alex Michelsen in the first round and then caused a huge upset by defeating eighth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in the next round.
Nuno Borges is having a good season in 2024, with a 20-18 record. The Portuguese player had his breakthrough moment when he won the Swedish Open and a marquee clash against Rafael Nadal. Borges has played two intense three-setters against Miomir Kecmanovic and Ugo Humbert to reach the third round of the Canadian Open.
This will be the first meeting between the two players. Nishikori might be past his prime, but the Japanese player had a proven pedigree in playing on the hard courts. The experience will give him the edge over his Portuguese opponent.
Predicted Winner- Kei Nishikori
#3. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Matteo Arnaldi
Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will take on Matteo Arnaldi of Italy in the third round of the 2024 Canadian Open. Fokina is not having a good 2024 season, as the Spnaiard's record was 13-15 before coming to the Canadian Open. However, Fokina defeated Roman Safiullin in the first round. The Spaniard then caused the biggest upset of the tournament by defeating third seed and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev in the second round.
Matteo Arnaldi has a 22-18 record in 2024, showing good form in patches, but not transforming it into consecutive match wins for a title win. At the Canadian Open, he defeated Mackenzie McDonald in the first round and then caused an upset by winning against 16th-seeded Karen Khachanov in the second round.
Fokina and Arnaldi have not played against each other previously. However, given their current form, Fokina will have a slight mental edge as he just defeated one of the best hard-court players of this generation, Daniil Medvedev, in the previous round.
Predicted winner- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina