Wednesday tennis acca tips: Cameron Norrie to continue Rio title defence with a win

Cameron Norrie will continue the defence of his Rio crown when he faces Marcelo Tomas Barrios-Vera on clay.

Norrie needs a strong performance to prevent a rankings collapse with nearly a third of his current rankings points set to fall away this week.

Another win for Norrie will at least guarantee that he cannot lose his status as British No 1 this week even if Dan Evans continues his run at Los Cabos.

 

ATP Doha: Fabian Marozsan vs Karen Khachanov | Pick: Khachanov 

ATP Doha: Marton Fucsovics vs Alexander Bublik | Pick: Bublik 

ATP Los Cabos: Alex De Minaur vs Alex Michelsen | Pick: De Minaur 

ATP Los Cabos: Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Dan Evans | Pick: Evans

ATP Rio De Janeiro: Jaume Munar vs Thiago Seyboth Wild | Pick: Munar

ATP Rio De Janeiro: Marcelo Tomas Barrios-Vera vs Cameron Norrie | Pick: Norrie

WTA Dubai: Maria Sakkari vs Jasmine Paolini | Pick: Sakkari

WTA Dubai: Sorana Cirstea vs Donna Vekic | Pick: Cirstea

 

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ATP Doha: Fabian Marozsan vs Karen Khachanov

Karen Khachanov would do well not to underestimate Fabian Marozsan despite the Hungarian's mixed form and world No 60 ranking.

Marozsan has defeated the likes of Marin Cilic and Gael Monfils already this season and is capable of snagging big scalps.

This will be Khachanov's first match of the tournament while Maroszan had to get beyond Czech Vit Kopriva.

Maroszan served well in that clash even if he seemed to put in a half effort on his opponent's delivery, if he doesn't up the intensity, Khachanov will almost certainly power past him.

 

ATP Doha: Marton Fucsovics vs Alexander Bublik

The other Hungarian in the field also faces a big Test against a powerful player in Alexander Bublik.

Mercurial Bublik is never a player who can be written off and he has recently threatened to become more consistent.

Fucscovics hasn't delivered on his promise as a player but is also a tough man to best on his day.

Bubik holds a lead in the head-to-head rivalry having won all three of their tour-level matches although Fucsovics did win a Challenger match way back in 2017.

 

ATP Los Cabos: Alex De Minaur vs Alex Michelsen

Australian No 1 Alex De Minaur is out to bounce back from a finals defeat last week while Alex Michelsen continues to impress as a prospect for the future.

De Minaur is 10-3 for the year and looks like he will continue his recent rise and forge further into the top ten.

This will be the first time these players meet at any level.

Michelsen has a 9-5 record this season and continues to improve but against a form player, he might struggle to get into the match.

 

ATP Los Cabos: Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Dan Evans

Dan Evans can take steps towards becoming the British No 1 in Los Cabos but has to get beyond big-serving Thanasi Kokkinakis first.

Evans has not beaten Kokkinakis in a full ATP Tour match but has a win from the Nottingham Challenger.

Still recent form suggests that Evans could turn things around and get on the board against the Aussie.

Evans hasn't won a match since early January but Kokkinakis is also on a three-match main draw losing streak.

 

ATP Rio De Janeiro: Jaume Munar vs Thiago Seyboth Wild

Jaume Munar will take confidence from knocking off a seeded player first up and will face a player he holds a 3-0 head-to-head lead over in Thiago Seyboth Wild in the last 16.

They last met in 2022 when Munar claimed a straight-sets win at the Miami Open.

Seyboth Wild might take some advantage from playing on home soil.

However, it took Seyboth Wild over two hours to battle past Chile's Alejandro Tabilo for just his second win of the season.

 

ATP Rio De Janeiro: Marcelo Tomas Barrios-Vera vs Cameron Norrie

Cameron Norrie is aware that his form hasn't been up to scratch but the draw has opened up for him in Rio.

Norrie will want to reach the final in Rio at the very least after a poor run in the last 12 months.

Norrie hasn't been beyond the quarter-finals yet this season but should have Barrios-Vera matched.

Barrios-Vera is ranked outside of the top 100 and his affinity for clay likely won't be enough to bridge the gulf in class between the combatants.

 

WTA Dubai: Maria Sakkari vs Jasmine Paolini

The only meeting between Maria Sakkari and Jasmine Paolini before their Dubai meeting came in the 2021 French Open.

Sakkari won that match comfortably and has been the better player since.

Paolini threatened a breakthrough last term but needs to beat top players more regularly to really establish herself.

Sakkari is susceptible to the upset but should have this one covered.

 

WTA Dubai: Sorana Cirstea vs Donna Vekic

Sorana Cirstea and Donna Vekic are both players just bubbling under the surface and threatening to make a play for the top ten.

Just nine rankings places split these two players who both secured surprise wins in the second round.

Cirstea defeated world No 19 Veronika Kudermetova to reach this stage of the tournament meanwhile Vekic beat world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka who arrived in Dubai on a winning streak.

While Vekic undoubtedly got the bigger win Cirstea holds the edge in their head-to-head which may count for more.