A couple of quarter-final picks from the HSBC Championships in London today, both with some interesting history attached. Let's get into it.
HSBC Championships Predictions
Tommy Paul vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Head-to-head: Paul 5-0 Fokina
Five from five. That's a remarkable H2H for Paul, and it's the kind of number that tends to get in a player's head after a while. Fokina is a tricky opponent on most surfaces and has the ranking to suggest he belongs here, but there's clearly something about Paul's game that he just hasn't found an answer to across five separate attempts.
On grass, Paul's flat ball-striking and big serve are a genuinely good fit for the surface and with that H2H record hanging over proceedings I don't see Fokina turning this one around. Paul in three, though Fokina will make it competitive enough to take a set.
Prediction: Paul in 3
Hamad Medjedovic vs Ugo Humbert
Head-to-head: Medjedovic 0-1 Humbert
Humbert is ranked 131 in the world right now, which tells you everything about the kind of form he's been in lately, and grass is a surface where he's historically been a threat. That one previous win over Medjedovic will give him some confidence coming in. That said, Medjedovic is a much better player than his ranking suggests and has been quietly building some solid results on tour.
Humbert's lefty serve, which can be a real handful indoors on a fast surface, can cause problems here so this won't be straightforward, and I feel like it goes the distance. Still, Medjedovic should have enough here, all things considered.
Prediction: Medjedovic in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Irina R. Hipolito/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire