Scouting report
Scouting Report: Musetti and Rune to Compete in Chengdu, Hangzhou; Prime 10 Stars at Laver Cup
A recap of what each fan must know concerning the week forward
September 16, 2024
ATP tour
Lorenzo Musetti, Holger Rune and Carlos Alcaraz can be in motion this week.
By ATP workers
The Asian swing begins on the ATP Tour from Wednesday, with 250 hardcourt occasions on the Chengdu Open and the Hangzhou Open. In Berlin, tThe seventh version of the Laver Cup will happen from September 20-22 in Germany.
Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti is the highest favorite in Chengdu, the place Nicolas Jarry and Alexander Bublik compete, whereas Holger Rune leads the sector in Hangzhou. Chinese language stars Zhizhen Zhang, Shang Juncheng, Wu Yibing and Bu Yunchaokete lead the house crew within the two occasions.
Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev will lead Workforce Europe as they battle Workforce World for the Laver Cup.
ATPTour.com seems at 5 issues to look out for in any respect three occasions.
FIVE THINGS TO NOTE IN CHENGDU
Can Musetti increase Turin’s slim hopes? Lorenzo Musetti arrives on the hardcourt occasion in Chengdu with a slim likelihood of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals. The Italian is fifteenth within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Turin, the highest-ranked participant in motion this week, however is 1,080 factors behind eighth-seeded Alex de Minaur, who occupies the ultimate qualifying spot. If Musetti is to make his transfer, he must begin with a deep run in Chengdu, the place he reached the semi-finals final yr.
Dwelling hope Shang & wildcard Nishikori: #NextGenATP Chinese language left-hander Shang Juncheng has loved a wonderful season, with semi-final appearances in Hong Kong and Atlanta as highlights. The 19-year-old can be hoping to carry out properly in entrance of his house followers and consolidate his third place within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Jeddah. Shang, who’s presently one spot shy of his profession excessive of No. 67, is aiming to make his debut on the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by PIF in December.
Japanese star Kei Nishikori may also take to the courtroom in Chengdu after being awarded a wildcard. The 34-year-old achieved his greatest results of the season final month in Montreal, the place he reached his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final since 2019. Nishikori will face Shang in a popcorn first-round conflict.
Bublik desires to increase the titles with: Second-seeded Alexander Bublik returns to Chengdu for the third time after reaching the ultimate on his debut in 2019. The 27-year-old has received three of his 4 titles on hardcourt, together with in Montpellier earlier this yr.
Can Jarry break the dropping streak? Nicolas Jarry has struggled in latest months, dropping his final seven matches. The Chilean is on the lookout for his first win since reaching the ultimate in Rome in Might and can play his first match in opposition to both Australian Adam Walton or Slovakian Lukas Klein.
Doumbia/Reboul lead in doubles: Reigning champions Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul return to Chengdu as the highest favourites, chasing their third title of the season. Ivan Dodig and Rafael Matos crew up because the second seeds.
FIVE THINGS TO SEE IN HANGZHOU
1) Rune high seed: Holger Rune returns to motion for the primary time since his disappointing first-round exit on the US Open, aiming to rediscover his greatest kind to maintain his slim hopes of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals alive. The Dane, presently ranked sixteenth within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Turin, is 15-8 on hardcourt this yr, culminating in a semi-final in Cincinnati and closing run in Brisbane.
2) Sowed threats Khachanov and Etcheverry: Second seed Karen Khachanov lifted the trophy on the ATP 250 occasion in Zhuhai, the place the event was held final yr earlier than shifting to Hangzhou for 2024. The 28-year-old is looking for his second title of the season after triumphing on onerous courts in Doha. Third seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry arrives after serving to Argentina advance to the Davis Cup Closing 8. The 25-year-old is in the identical half of the schedule as Khachanov.
3) Can Nakashima keep his kind? Former Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by PIF champion Brandon Nakashima impressed throughout the North American hardcourt swing, recording victories over Prime 20 stars Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Holger Rune and Lorenzo Musetti in three occasions. The American, who superior to the fourth spherical on the US Open, additionally received all three of his Davis Cup group stage matches final week and can be wanting so as to add to his sole tour-level crown (San Diego 2022). He sits at a career-high No. 39 within the PIF ATP Rankings.
4) Chinese language hope: Sixth seed Zhizhen Zhang and wild playing cards Wu Yibing and Bu Yunchaokete will all be aiming for deep runs to thrill the house crowd. Zhang, who begins in opposition to a qualifier, was compelled to retire in his first-round loss to Jack Draper on the US Open however is again in form and kind. His greatest outcome on hardcourt this yr got here in Marseille, the place he reached the quarter-finals.
Wu turned China’s first ATP Tour titleholder when he received the 2023 Dallas Open, however has struggled with accidents since then. The Hangzhou native returned from harm in China final month, the place he received an ATP Challenger Tour occasion. Bu, 22, received two Challenger Tour titles in 2024 and certified for the US Open final month (Casper Ruud, left).
5) Cilic returns: Marin Cilic is about to play his first tour-level occasion since Buenos Aires in February. The 35-year-old Croatian, who has received 15 of his 20 tour-level crowns on onerous, will face American Zachary Svajda within the first spherical.
FIVE THINGS TO NOTE WITH LAVER CUP
1) Prime 10 skills: Workforce Europe is led by high 10 stars Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Grigor Dimitrov, whereas world quantity 7 Taylor Fritz is the only real high 10 consultant in Workforce World.
2) Two-time defending champion Workforce World: Workforce World received the trophy for the second yr in a row in 2023, after successful for the primary time in 2022. The 2-time reigning champions can be wanting so as to add to their haul in Berlin.
3) Laver Cup debutants: Alcaraz, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Alejandro Tabilo are the three males making their debut on the occasion in Berlin. Kokkinakis was within the Workforce World choice in 2017, however didn’t play.
4) Borg & McEnroe lead groups for the final time: Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe will lead the groups for the seventh and closing time. Workforce Europe captain Borg has claimed 4 victories previously, whereas McEnroe was on the helm of Workforce World in 2022 and 2023. In Might of this yr, it was introduced that Yannick Noah would lead Workforce Europe and Andre Agassi Workforce World from 2025.
5) Distinctive measurement: The Laver Cup is performed over three days, 20-22 September, in 5 classes. Every match received is price one level on Friday, two factors on Saturday and three factors on a high-stakes Sunday. The primary crew to succeed in 13 factors (out of a doable 24) wins the Laver Cup.