The Canadian Open continues this week as Alex Michelson faces Kei Nishikori while Nicolas Jarry goes up against Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the round of 64. Damien Kayat previews.
2024 ATP Tour – Masters 1000
Canadian Open
IGA Stadium
Selected Ro64 matches – 6 August
Alex Michelson 32/100 | Kei Nishikori 23/10
This should make for an interesting cross-generational clash. 19-year-old Alex Michelson has enjoyed a year of solid under-the-radar evolution. The American is on the precipice of entering the top 50 in the world after a slew of consistent results.
He started the season in ominous fashion, reaching the 3rd round of the Aussie Open to record his best-ever Grand Slam run. He would later go on to defeat a top-10 player for the first time in his career, taking down red-hot Alex de Minaur at the Los Cabos Open.
He reached his first ATP clay-court quarterfinal in Geneva and he finished runner-up in Newport for the 2nd successive year. He reached the quarterfinals in Washington last week and he is really starting to look like a true all-court talent.
He has a wonderfully whippy service action and highly commendable volleying skills. He has a strong double-handed backhand but probably needs to beef up that forehand wing if he really wants to make it to the top of the game.
You can be forgiven for forgetting that Kei Nishikori exists. The 34-year-old Japanese hardcourt dynamo has really struggled with injury throughout his decorated career.
I thought that his career was over after he decided to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his hip in 2022. But he announced a desire to return to action at last year’s Aussie Open (though he ultimately had to skip that due to a foot injury).
And injury has just frustrated his return at every turn. He did get back to winning ways last year, winning the Caribbean Challenger to become the first man in history to win a Challenger event without being ranked.
He has only participated in six singles matches this year (winning his one and only match at Wimbledon). Nishikori used to absolutely thrive in this portion of the season. He reached the semifinal stage or better on three occasions at the US Open.
He also finished runner-up in this event back in 2016. But what kind of performance can we possibly expect from him this week?
The Verdict: Michelson to win in three 26/10
Michelson won their only previous meeting, taking down the Japanese star in three sets at last year’s Chicago Challenger. And I think that could be how it plays out this week.
Michelson obviously has all the momentum but Nishikori’s dogged defensive skills could pose some problems for the American. Nishikori has great passing variety and could pick off Michelson when he ventures to the net. Still, the American has been slowly improving and should win in three.
Nicolas Jarry 12/10 | Tomas Martin Etcheverry 13/20
This should be a thrilling clash between two big-hitting South Americans. Nicolas Jarry has been one of the most improved players on the tour over the past 18 months or so.
He won two minor clay-court titles last year but really started to improve on slicker surfaces, reaching a maiden Masters 1000 quarterfinal in Shanghai. This season he has been really schizophrenic for the Chilean.
He has produced some of the biggest results of his career whilst simultaneously collecting a smorgasbord of first-round exits. He picked up a nice runner-up finish in Argentina and would once again showcase his hardcourt credentials with a quarterfinal run in Miami.
He also produced the most monumental result of his career in Rome, beating the likes of Tsitsipas and Paul to finish runner-up at a Masters 1000 event for the first time in his career.
But he has been dreadful since Rome and comes into this event on a four-match losing streak. In fact, Jarry has been eliminated in the first round in nine events this season. That Ostapenko level of inconsistency makes him really hard to gauge this week.
25-year-old Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry reminds me so much of compatriot Juan Martin del Potro. He has a solid, imposing serve and looks to pummel his opponents with an absolutely thunderous forehand.
He rose to prominence last season with an impressive quarterfinal run at the French Open. He has really achieved most of his success on clay this season (though he did start the year with a third-round run at the Aussie Open).
He had a pretty humdrum Golden Swing but he then produced a semifinal run on the Houston clay. He enjoyed another semifinal run in Barcelona and he would finish runner-up at the Lyon Open.
He hasn’t been at his best since a third-round run at the French Open and he still has to convince me that he can expand beyond the sticky stuff.
The Verdict: Etcheverry to win in straight sets 31/20
These two are familiar foes, with Etcheverry leading the head-to-head 4-2 (and 2-2 on the main tour). The Argentine won their last encounter in straight sets at this year’s Monte-Carlo Masters.
Jarry is in a bit of a nosedive of late and I think Etcheverry could take advantage of that. This will be a really bruising encounter with both players looking to dominate on that forehand wing.
I think that Jarry has been a victim of his own success of late, probably playing a bit too much tennis over the last 12 months. Etcherverry’s explosive game could expose him.
