Winston-Salem Open Day 3: Men's singles predictions ft. Sebastian Korda vs Benjamin Bonzi
Day 3 of the Winston-Salem Open will see the second round of the men's singles tournament resume as 13 spots in the third round are up for grabs.
Top seed Borna Coric will face Rinky Hijikata and the winner of that match will take on whoever comes out on top in the match between 13th seed Marcos Giron and Michael Mmoh. Third seed Sebastian Korda will be up against Benjamin Bonzi while Jack Draper will take on second seed Tallon Griekspoor in what will be an interesting matchup.
The likes of Brandon Nakashima, Laslo Djere and Emil Ruusuvuori will also be in action. On that note, let's take a look at the predictions for some of the matches that will take place on Day 3 of the Winston-Salem Open.
#1. Sebastian Korda vs Benjamin Bonzi
Third seed Sebastian Korda will take on Benjamin Bonzi in the second round of the Winston-Salem Open. It will be the second meeting between the two, with Korda previously beating the Frenchman 6-3, 6-3 at last year's Estoril Open.
The American received a walkover to the second round at Winston-Salem while Bonzi beat compatriot Alexandre Muller 6-4, 6-4 in the first round. Korda has won 13 out of 23 matches so far this season while Bonzi has triumphed in 13 out of 26 fixtures.
The American may not be in the kind of form he was at the start of the season, having won just one out of his last five matches. However, at his best, he can still produce some fine tennis and beat Bonzi to reach the third round in Winston-Salem.
Predicted Winner: Sebastian Korda.
#2. Borna Coric vs Rinky Hijikata
Top seed Borna Coric will face Rinky Hijikata in the second round of the Winston-Salem Open. It will be the first meeting between the two.
Coric received a bye to the second round of the ATP 250 tournament while Hijikata had to come back from a set down to beat Ukrainian Ilya Marchenko 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The Croat has a 19-17 win-loss record so far this season while Hijikata has won just seven out of 13 matches. Coric has a pretty disappointing record on hardcourts in 2023, winning only six out of 13 matches. However, he is a superior player compared to Hijikata and his experience should see him come out on top and reach the Round of 16 in Winston-Salem.
#3. Jack Draper vs Tallon Griekspoor
Jack Draper will lock horns with second seed Tallon Griekspoor in the second round of the Winston-Salem Open. It will be the very first meeting between the two.
While Griekspoor received a bye to the second round in Winston-Salem, Draper made easy work of Nuno Borges in the first round, winning 6-3, 6-1.
The Dutchman has won 27 out of 42 matches so far this season while the Englishman has triumphed in ten out of 17 fixtures. Griekspoor's superior form this season makes him the favorite to win the match.
While Draper is more than capable of making things difficult for him, he should be able to come out on top and reach the third round of the Winston-Salem Open.
Predicted Winner: Tallon Griekspoor.
#4. Brandon Nakashima vs Arthur Fils
Seventh seed Arthur Fils will take on Brandon Nakashima in the second round of the Winston-Salem Open. It will be the second meeting between the two, with the Frenchman previously triumphing 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(5) in the semifinals of the Lyon Open.
Fils received a walkover to the second round in WInston-Salem by virtue of being one of the seeded players while Nakashima had to grind out a 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(3) win over Jason Kubler in the first round.
The Frenchman has won 13 out of 22 matches so far this season while the American has triumphed in 10 out of 26.
Fils' better run of form gives him the edge entering the match and considering Nakashima's poor performances over the past few weeks, the former should be able to get the win and reach the third round of the Winston-Salem Open.
Predicted Winner: Arthur Fils.