2024 ATP Tour – ATP 250
Delray Seaside Basic
Delray Seaside Tennis Centre
Chosen Ro32 Matches | 14 February
Alex Michelson 87/100 | Thanasi Kokkinakis 9/10
19-year-old American Alex Michelson rose like a comet by means of the world rankings throughout his breakthrough 2023 marketing campaign. Initially scouted by the College of Georgia, Michelson made the choice to skip the faculty route and go professional in 2022.
And that call appears to have been justified already. The younger American made a splash on the Challenger Tour final season and he additionally managed to make some inroads on the ATP Tour correct.
He annihilated Albert Ramos Vinolas on the US Open and he additionally reached his maiden ATP Tour last in Newport. He began this season fairly slowly earlier than a superb third-round run on the Aussie Open. He accounted for the much-touted Jiri Lehecka en path to his defeat to Alex Zverev.
He’s studying by the second and I’m positive it would solely be a matter of time until he reaches one other last. He-like many different People- has a robust serve and dominating forehand. However he additionally possesses the power to slice and method the online. He has an all-court recreation that might take him far.
Now we flip our consideration from Michelson’s scary potential to maybe squandered potential. I do know that’s harsh, however I actually consider that Thanasi Kokkinakis ought to have registered greater than two ATP Finals in his profession.
However there have been some slight slivers of hope for the participating Aussie over the previous few years. He received the Adelaide Worldwide II in 2022 previous to claiming the Aussie Open double’s title alongside firebrand Nick Kyrgios.
He beat Andrey Rublev final 12 months (his first win in opposition to a prime ten participant in 5 years). He additionally reached the third spherical of the French Open for the primary time in eight years. However 2024 hasn’t precisely began in essentially the most auspicious style.
He’s at present 1-4 for the 12 months in tour-level matches. Having stated that, he did push an in-form Dimitrov to 4 units within the second spherical of the Aussie Open. I like Kokkinakis and I all the time really feel that he has the capability to compete with anybody because of his outrageous energy.
However he is just too inconsistent and hits too many unforced errors. Can he subdue these urges to take down the promising younger American?
Verdict: Kokkinakis to win 9/10
This would be the first profession assembly between these two. That is a particularly robust name. Michelson clearly has the upper ceiling and he has already produced just a few glorious performances this season. However Kokkinakis has extra expertise and he might overpower the fledging American.
Marcos Giron 31/100 | Emilio Nava 24/10
30-year-old American has been one thing of a journeyman professional in his up-and-down profession. Just a few severe hip accidents have curtailed his growth however he did handle to achieve the ultimate of the San Diego Open again in 2022.
And he as soon as once more showcased his hardcourt prowess with a semi-final run on the Japan Open in the direction of the tip of final season. However Giron went into final week’s Dallas Open in dreadful type, desperately making an attempt to interrupt a five-match dropping streak at tour-level.
And he broke that streak in magnificent model, reaching his second profession ATP Ultimate to place him on the point of breaking into the world’s prime 50 once more. He misplaced to Tommy Paul within the last however it may possibly’t take away from his brilliance all through the week.
He by no means misplaced his serve en path to the ultimate and he appears to be shifting higher than ever. It’s going to take quite a bit from him to return down from that emotional excessive this week.
22-year-old Emilio Nava has been one who has been misplaced within the shuffle by way of younger American expertise. The baseliner loved a superb junior profession, dropping within the finals of the Aussie and US Open in 2019. He hits the ball actually cleanly however he has struggled considerably to ascertain himself on tour.
He recorded his maiden Masters 1000 victory eventually 12 months’s Miami Open (beating veteran American John Isner). He additionally reached two Challenger finals final season, successful the title in Modena. However he’s but to win a tour-level match this season (he has struggled on the Challenger circuit, to be truthful). Can he elevate his recreation sufficient to be aggressive in opposition to a latest ATP finalist?
Verdict: Giron to win in three units at 26/10
This might be their first-ever tour-level assembly (although Giron received once they met on the Challenger Tour in 2019). I believe Giron ought to have far an excessive amount of high quality for Nava.
However he isn’t accustomed to enjoying in such fast succession after reaching a last and this will give Nava an opportunity to catch him chilly early on. Nonetheless, Giron has served too effectively of late and maybe a three-set Giron win really carries some worth.
