Japan Open 2023: Day 3 predictions ft. Hubert Hurkacz vs Zhizhen Zhang

Day 3 of the Japan Open will see the men's singles second round begin while the remaining first round fixture between Hubert Hurkacz and Zhizhen Zhang will take place as well.

Second seed Casper Ruud will be the highest-ranked player in action as he takes on Marcos Giron with the aim of reaching the quarterfinals in Tokyo. Tommy Paul, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Ben Shelton will be in action as well.

On that note, let's take a look at the predictions for some of the matches that will take place on Day 3 of the ATP 500 event.

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#1. Hubert Hurkacz vs Zhizhen Zhang

Hubert Hurkacz will take on Zhizhen Zhang in the first round of the Japan Open. It will be the third meeting between the two, with the Pole currently leading 2-0 in the head-to-head.

Hurkacz and Zhang recently locked horns in the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters, with the former winning a thrilling encounter 7-6(6), 4-6, 7-6(4). The Pole will be in good spirits after winning the Masters 1000 event and giving himself a fighting chance to qualify for the ATP Finals.

While Zhang has produced some promising results in recent months, Hurkacz's recent run of form and composure should be able to see him get his third win over the Chinese.

Predicted Winner: Hubert Hurkacz

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#2. Tommy Paul vs Mackenzie McDonald

Fifth seed Tommy Paul will take on Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Japan Open. It will be the third meeting between the two, with the former leading their head-to-head 2-0.

Paul booked his place in the Round of 16 of the ATP 500 event after surviving a scare from Daniel Altmaier, winning 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. McDonald, on the other hand, triumphed 7-5, 6-4 over Max Purcell.

Paul has won 38 out of 63 matches so far this season while McDonald has triumphed in 32 out of 58 fixtures. The World No. 12 will enter the match as the favorite to win and considering his quality along with his performances over the past couple of months, he should be able to beat his compatriot and reach the quarterifnals in Tokyo.

Predicted Winner: Tommy Paul

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#3. Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Sebastian Ofner

Eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime will lock horns with Sebastian Ovner in the second round of the Japan Open. It will be the very first meeting between the two.

Both players registered narrow victories over Australians in their respective opening-round matches in Tokyo. Auger-Aliassime beat Aleksandar Vukic 7-6(3), 6-7(2), 6-2 while Ofner triumphed 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 7-5 over Christopher O'Connell.

Auger-Aliassime has endured a disappointing 2023 season so far, winning only 16 out of 33 matches while Ofner has come out on top in 11 out of 22 fixtures.

While the Canadian's form of late has been far from good, he is capable of producing some fine tennis on his day and should manage to win against Ofner to reach the quarterfinals in Tokyo.

Predicted Winner: Felix Auger-Aliassime

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#4. Ben Shelton vs Jordan Thompson

Ben Shelton will face Jordan Thompson in the second round of the Japan Open. It will be the very first meeting between the two players.

Shelton came back from a set down to beat Taro Daniel 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) in the first round while Thompson produced a major upset by ousting third seed Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-4.

The American has won 22 out of 44 matches so far this season while the Aussie has triumphed in 19 out of 39 fixtures. Shelton has had some good runs in big tournaments over the past few months, and he should be able to book his place in the quarterfinals of the Japan Open.

Predicted Winner: Ben Shelton