Juan Martin Del Potro will look to build on the biggest win of his season when he takes the court against Jack Sock on Wednesday in Madrid. Gael Monfils and Pablo Cuevas are also aiming for a place in the last 16.
(PR) Juan Martin Del Potro vs. Jack Sock
Del Potro brooked a spot in the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open by upsetting No. 14 seed Dominic Thiem 7-6(5), 6-3 on Tuesday. It was the 27-year-old Argentine’s best win since defeating then-world No. 9 Richard Gasquet at the 2013 World Tour Finals. Del Potro missed much of 2014 and 2015 before beginning his latest comeback earlier this season in Delray Beach, where he advanced to the semifinals. The 2009 U.S. Open champion has now won his opening match at all five of his tournaments in 2016.
Up next for Del Potro on Wednesday is a first-ever meeting with Sock, who twice battled back from a break down in the third set to overcome Benoit Paire 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(5) in the opening round. The 26th-ranked American is a mediocre 26-7 for the year but he is coming off a runner-up performance on the clay courts of Houston. Although Sock is the favorite on paper, the quality of his match against Paire was less than encouraging–and that is putting it generously. Del Potro, on the other hand, looked the best he has all season long during his huge victory over Thiem.
Pick: Del Potro in 3
Pablo Cuevas vs. (13) Gael Monfils
Monfils and Cuevas will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers and for the second time in 2016 when they meet again on Wednesday. All three of their previous encounters have gone the way of Monfils, whose only previous clay-court contest against Cuevas resulted in a 4-6, 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory at the 2015 French Open. That match witnessed without question one of the most monumental meltdowns of the year, as Cuevas led by two sets to one and by a double-break at 4-1 in the fourth before completely collapsing. The two veterans most recently faced each other two months ago on the hard courts of Miami, where Monfils got the job done 6-3, 6-4.
Tuesday was a typical day at the office for Monfils, who picked up another win despite dealing with physical problems. The 15th-ranked Frenchman battled through an ankle injury to roll over a rusty Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-1. Monfils is now an awesome 21-6 for his 2016 campaign, which includes a recent runner-up finish in Monte-Carlo. Cuevas improved to a stellar 17-7 for the year by outlasting Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) in the opening round. Unless Monfils is less than 100 percent, there is no reason to think he will let Cuevas turn the tide of their head-to-head history.
Pick: Monfils in 2
The post Madrid R2 previews and predictions: Del Potro vs. Sock, Monfils vs. Cuevas appeared first on The Grandstand.