A couple of interesting matches to preview from Cincinnati today, and both of them have a bit of history behind them. We've got our picks below.
Cincinnati Open Predictions
Flavio Cobolli vs Arthur Fils
Head-to-head: Fils leads 2-0
Cobolli is ranked higher right now, but that H2H tells the real story. Fils has beaten him twice already and seems to have his number and there's nothing in Cobolli's recent form that suggests he's figured out how to change that. Fils can be inconsistent and he'll probably go through a rough patch somewhere in this match, but he's got the firepower on hard courts to make things uncomfortable even when he's not at his best.
I think Fils takes this in three. Cobolli will push him, but he hasn't beaten Fils yet and hard courts in Cincinnati don't feel like the place that changes.
Prediction: Fils in 3
Lorenzo Musetti vs Frances Tiafoe
Head-to-head: 4-4
As even as it gets. Eight matches, split straight down the middle, and these two always seem to bring something out of each other. Tiafoe's energy can unsettle a lot of players and he loves a big atmosphere, but Musetti has quietly been one of the more consistent performers on the tour this year and his variety off both wings makes him genuinely difficult to read on hard courts.
Musetti wins this one. That said, the 4-4 record doesn't lean either way, so it really comes down to who's playing better right now, and Musetti's ranking reflects a steadier season overall, all things considered.
Prediction: Musetti in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Scott Stuart/ZUMA Press Wire