After obtaining Byes in their first round, the seeded n ° 2 Luciano Darderi and the seeded n ° 4 Brandon Nakashima begin their ATP Chengdu Open campaigns on Friday. They may not feel too confident because the opposition is dangerous, especially with this last player against the reigning champion Juncheng Shang. Who will you go out in mind?
ATP Chengdu Day 3 predictions
Lorenzo Sonego vs Marcos Giron
Tête-à-tête: SONEGO 1-0
The two players have not published too many victories recently; For one of them, doing the quarter -finals will be a vital result. Lorenzo Sonego has done his best race at the Grand Chelem in a career at Australian Open this year, but has been a mess since. That said, the quick conditions of Chengdu could help him deliver the firepower necessary to store Marcos Giron. It should be a difficult encounter anyway, because none seems convincing or confident on the ground at this stage.
Prediction: SONEGO in 3
Yi Zhou vs Christopher O’Connell
Tête-à-tête: First meeting
Despite his first Challenger final this year, Yi Zhou is still losing in so many opening rounds on the circuit and has not made the progress that everyone predicted for him. And yet, the Chinese thrive at home in Asian swing with quality matches against the best opponents every season. This includes the safeguard of a match point in the first round against Cameron Norrie. With the physical condition of Christopher O’Connell under a question mark recently (he even retired in the Guangzhou semi-finals last week), maybe history continues?
Prediction: Zhou in 3
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Alejandro Tabilo against Luciano Darderi
Tête-à-tête: 2-2
Luciano Darderi has already won three ATP Tour titles this year (with his Cordoba trophy from 2024), but his game outside of Clay still needs work. One of his best land victories to date has come against Alejandro Tabilo in Cincinnati last year. Although the Italian has tools that will potentially help him in faster conditions in the future, the application is still lacking. Even despite this most recent result between them, Tabilo is the most likely winner here, having grown on the surface when he lived in Canada.
Prediction: Tabilo in 2
JUNCHENG Shanghai vs Brandon Nakashima
Tête-à-tête: First meeting
Jumanng Shang won her first ATP tour at this event last year, but only returns after six months due to a foot injury. The victory over Zizou Bergs was his first since his realization of the Hong Kong semi-finals during the opening week of the season. It’s a bit there, but who says that his race cannot continue if the body holds up? Brandon Nakashima has a very high floor, but the ceiling is not extraordinary. Last year, Shang used the altitude of Chengdu so well to burst his features that he generally does not have.
Prediction: Shang in 3
Main photo credit: Taya Gray / The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
