The action is beginning to heat up in Winston-Salem, with several surprise names mixing with the top seeds in the quarter-finals- here are my predictions for today!
Pierre-Hughes Herbert vs Pablo Carreno Busta
There is a surprise quarter-final in the top section as qualifier Pierre-Hughes Herbert faces the unseeded Pablo Carreno Busta. Having come through qualifying Herbert has been very impressive, seeing off Sergiy Stakhovsky in straight sets before battling past 14th seed Marcos Baghdatis and then cruising past Aljaz Bedene yesterday. Busta has also been impressive, seeing off Tommy Haas and 10th seed Joao Sousa in straight sets before edging past Simone Bolelli in three sets. Busta is in better form and is 83 places higher than Herbert in the rankings. However it was Herbert who won their only previous meeting in Stockholm on clay last year, and he will be confident after a stringing a few good matches together. However Busta is in the better form and should win this.
Prediction: Busta in 3
Steve Johnson vs Yen-Hsun Lu
13th seed Steve Johnson has a great opportunity to reach the semi-finals here as he faces the unseeded Yen-Hsun Lu. Johnson has won almost 30 main draw matches this year and has been in good form throughout the year, continuing it here with tough wins over Sam Groth and 3rd seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three sets. Lu also played well in his first two matches, beating Robin Haase and 5th seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in straight sets, but then had to battle past Hyeon Chung in three sets yesterday. With both men coming of battles yesterday it could be close and whilst Lu leads the head to head 2-0, Johnson is in better form this year and should take this one.
Prediction: Johnson in 3
Thomaz Bellucci vs Malek Jaziri
There is also a good opportunity here for 6th seed Thomaz Bellucci as he faces Malek Jaziri in the final match of the day. Bellucci is having the best season of his career but has struggled so far here, having to battle bast Francis Tiafoe and 11th seed Jiri Vesely in three sets. Jaziri has had to play an extra match but has been slightly more comfortable, beating Joao Souza in straight sets before battling past 4th seed Viktor Troicki in three sets, before easing past 15th seed Teymuraz Gabashvilli in straight sets. Both men have never played each other before so it could be interesting to see how quickly they adapt to the way they both play. Bellucci has been in the better form this year and should edge this match, though Jaziri is capable of the upset.
Prediction: Bellucci in 3
Borna Coric vs Kevin Anderson
The only quarter-final where the seedings have worked out delivers an interesting match as 8th seed Borna Coric faces 2nd seed Kevin Anderson. Coric got off to a slow start in his opening match, but came from a set down to beat Santiago Giraldo before cruising past Diego Schwartzman yesterday. Anderson also came from a set down in his opening match against Mikhail Kukushkin, before edging the dangerous Jerzy Janowicz in two tight sets. Anderson has been less comfortable than Coric, but has certainly had more difficult matches than Coric and has more experience at this stage of tournament. Coric could, however, have the stronger game and has already beaten Nadal and Murray. However Anderson, with his serve and his experience, should edge this.
Prediction: Anderson in 3
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