Quarter final promotion in the upper half of the Cincinnati trek on Thursday contains Jannik Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassy. Qualification Terence Atmane tries to start his unlikely run at the expense of Holger Rune.
(1) Jannik Sinner vs. (23) Felix Auger-Aliassime
Sinner and Auger-Aliassime are heading for the third time in their career when they fight for a place in the semi-final of the Western & Southern Open on Thursday afternoon. Surprisingly, Auger-Aliassime has won both earlier encounters. However, that can easily be explained by the fact that both games arrived in 2022 – before the Sinner became the player he is today. Auger-Aliass Time prevailed 6-1, 6-2 with the Madrid Masters and 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-1 on the same Cincinnati tournament.
It is safe to say that three years later the story should be very different. Sinner is now the World No. 1 and the defending champion of this Masters 1000 event. The Italian looks closely on the way to a back-to-back triumph after straight set of Daniel Elahi Galan, Gabriel Diallo and Adrian Mannarino. Auger-Aliassime is through to the last eight thanks to victories over Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Arthur Rinder Knech (via second set of retirement) and Benjamin Bonzi. This only marks the second time since February (Dubai Final) that the 28th ranking of Canadian has won three games in one tournament. So far it has been a favorable attraction for Auger-Aliassime, but this is clear where happiness ends.
Choose: Sinner in 2
(Q) Terence Atmane versus (7) Holger Rune
Atmane broke through in a great way at the Cincinnati Masters. The 23-year-old Frenchman is number 136 in the world and he had only won five ATP level competitions in his entire career before these two weeks. He will double that number with another victory on Thursday. Atmane had to be eligible to just get into the main drawing, and he has that success in victories over Yoshihito Nishioka, Flavio Cobolli, Joao Fonseca and Taylor Fritz Parlay.
Next to the left -handed is a very first meeting with Rune, which offers a repeated appearance in the Semis Cincinnati. The ninth arranged Dane is again in its winning ways at this tournament by beating Roman Safiullin, Alex Michelsen and 2024 second Frances Tiafoe (via second set of pension). Without days off after his 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 struggle with Fritz, this will be a difficult mental and physical test for Atmane. Maybe he should win it quickly if he starts to win it completely and that will not be easy against an in-form and self-assured rune.
Choose: Rune in 3
#Cincinnati #Tennis #Picks #Sinner #augeraliassime #Rune #Atmane