Maybe the fourth time will indeed work like a charm for John Isner. He’s been to the final round of the Citi Open three times already, with two of them coming within the last three years.
Even better, Isner need not worry about any elite competition this week. He’s the highest-seeded player in the tournament as the 16th-best tennis player in the world (and the highest-ranked American overall at that), and his disappointing record of 0-3 against top-10 players this season won’t be a factor at all versus the relatively weak field at DC.
Gael Monfils
Perhaps the only real threat to Isner’s run is France’s Gael Monfils, who enters this week’s tournament as the second seed only because he’s one rung below Isner in the world rankings (No. 17).
Monfils should be extremely confident about his chances in D.C. as he has a better record this season (21-9) than Isner before him (17-12). Furthermore, the Parisian righty has seven-career victories in the nation’s capital, with four of them coming in 2011 – the year that he made it all the way to the final round of the Citi Open.
Sleeper
Jack Sock
Don’t count out another American from this week’s draw in Kansas City native Jack Sock. He actually has more wins this season (18) than his fellow US resident Isner, and the two won’t possibly see each other until the semi-final round of this tournament.
In addition, Sock has two other final-round appearances this season, meaning the promising 23-year-old is very much on the verge of winning his second-career ATP World Tour singles title and first in over a year.
Long Shot
Alex Kuznetsov
Over a decade’s worth of experience in the pros and Alex Kuznetsov has yet to show any semblance of actual development in his game.
Although the Tampa resident has one victory this year at the Canada F1, it was a tournament played in the ITF circuit. Over in the ATP, however, Kuznetsov has been far from spectacular. He lost his only match at the World Tour level just this past week at Newport, and even failed to merely qualify for three other tournaments from the much inferior Challenger Tour level.
Writer’s Prediction
Isner finally gets the Citi Open title that has eluded him for so long.
Create a betting account now to cash in from this smashing ATP tournament from the nation’s capital this very instant!
