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Draper, Michelsen & Borges could be smart Winston-Salem Predictor Picks
After back-to-back ATP Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati, the ATP Tour moves to Winston-Salem next week for an ATP 250 event.
Plenty of stars will try to secure important PIF ATP Rankings points, including defending champion Sebastian Baez, second seed Jack Draper and third-seeded wild card Francisco Cerundolo.
Jack Draper — replacing 20 points
The 22-year-old has enjoyed the best season of his career, earning his first ATP Tour title in Stuttgart. If the British lefty lifts another trophy in Winston-Salem, he will claim plenty of net points given he will be replacing a 20-point entry in his rankings breakdown.
Draper is in form after upsetting Stefanos Tsitsipas in Cincinnati and has long been a dangerous foe on hard courts. His big serve and aggressive game have proven tough for many players to overcome. He is the second seed in Winston-Salem, where his brother, Ben Draper, played a season of college tennis.
[ATP APP]Alex Michelsen — replacing 25 points
The Cincinnati draw shows that the #NextGenATP American lost in the second round of the main draw. But Michelsen put up a tough fight against Jannik Sinner and also battled through qualifying, proving his form is in good shape.
The two-time Newport finalist continues to climb the PIF ATP Rankings and has another chance to make a move during Winston-Salem, where he will chase his first title. The 19-year-old will also be confident on the back of his run to the Washington quarter-finals, where he pushed eventual finalist Flavio Cobolli to a final-set tie-break.
Nuno Borges replacing 20 points
The Portuguese standout won his first tour-level title earlier this year in Bastad on clay. However, he is plenty comfortable on hard courts. A fourth-round finisher at this year’s Australian Open, Borges played college tennis — on hard courts — at Mississippi State University.
Borges is the eighth seed in Winston-Salem and will play James Duckworth or Thiago Seyboth Wild in his opening match.
Bonus Ball — Alex Michelsen
Michelsen is the 11th seed and has never claimed an ATP Tour title. But why not back the teen now for a big run? The American has proven he enjoys quicker surfaces, where he is able to maximise his serve and use his all-court game to work his way into his opponent’s service games.
With plenty of room to add net points in Winston-Salem, doubling up that number could mean a big week for your PIF ATP Rankings Predictor team.
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