Lorenzo Musetti, who is currently on the bubble in the race to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, kicks off his Vienna bid against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Andrey Rublev and Cam Norrie will also be in action in the first round.
(4) Lorenzo Musetti vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas
The meeting between Lorenzo Musetti and Stefanos Tsitsipas can be defined as meetings that took place before 2025 and those that took place this year. Between 2021 and 2023, the two men played five times and Tsitsipas won every match. Granted, most of the wins didn’t come easy for the Greek, but he nevertheless managed a 5-0 record over the Italian. The tables were turned in 2025, as Musetti narrowly edged Tsitispas in both meetings this year.
Musetti is ranked eighth in the world and is currently in a position to qualify for the end-of-year event in Turin, but only just. He put in strong performances at both the French Open and the US Open, but strangely he is without a title this season. Musetti has had a good autumn, but Tuesday’s result at the Erste Bank Open will likely be influenced by Tsitsipas’ poor form more than anything else. Despite playing all four majors, the world number 25 won exactly two Grand Slam matches – not two at each major; two total. Against a player of Musetti’s caliber, it’s hard to imagine a disappointment.
Cheryl’s choice: Musetti in 3
Ricky choice: Musetti in 2
(7) Andrey Rublev vs. Cameron Norrie
This is a tough match for Andrei Rublev to start his tournament. The Russian had a rough patch after the Australian Open, but he turned things around and has managed to amass a 32-23 record for the year, although he looked a little tired during the Asian swing earlier this month. Rublev has a light 3-2 record over first-round opponent Cameron Norrie.
Norrie has made some surprisingly good runs this season. He came somewhat from nowhere to reach the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, his home competition. His level dropped a bit after the US Open, but that could be due to the fatigue at the end of the season and the fact that at the age of thirty he is not exactly young anymore. Rublev and Norrie have not played since 2023, so it is difficult to draw conclusions from their previous meetings. Look for an entertaining match that might go the distance, but where an upset is unlikely to materialize in this match.
Cheryl pick: Rublev in 3
Ricky pick: Rublev in 3
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