Andrey Rublev and Frances Tiafoe have New Year’s day off with Hong Kong byes
Andrey Rublev antics
Andrey Rublev, Frances Tiafoe, Karen Khachanov and Francisco Cerundolo enjoy first round byes in their first assignment of the season at the Kong Kong Open.
The Victoria Park Tennis Stadium in Hong Kong welcomes back the ATP Tour for the first time since 2002.
Former champions include Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Jim Courier and Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Rublev is the top seed and will face the winner of the clash between Pedro Cachin and a qualifier.
“I feel great, I’m happy to be in Hong Kong,” said Rublev.
“The past two days of practice have been great. Goal here is of course to prepare as best as I can for Australia. If I can go deep, that’s perfect.
“I feel now whomever I have in the draw doesn’t matter. If I’m smart and control my emotions, I’ll have the chance to win any match,” Rublev confidently opined.
“Since the US Open I’ve been playing really well, I’ve been playing tennis I don’t remember playing like that.
“Mentally I feel great. I was missing competing. I just try to look at this from a different view. There are a lot of good players here and it’s not about first or numbers,” added the 26-year-old Rublev.
“It’s about whether I’m ready to fight, to accept all the challenges on court.
“If I’m not ready, I start to complain or lose control, then even as top seed I’d lose anyway with this attitude. It’s all about what I need to focus on. For the moment I’m really enjoying being back, enjoying the travel, playing different tournaments and enjoying what is inside of tennis.”
Arthur Fils is the No 8 seed on a course to face Rublev in the last eight and he starts in the first round against Borna Gojo. Three of the seven players in the top quarter will be drawn from the qualifying competition with Great Britain’s Jan Choinski and Lima Broady through to the second round of qualifying and one match away from the main draw.
No 3 seed Tiafoe headlines the second quarter and will face either Miomir Kecmanovic or a qualifier. Tiafoe could face No 7 seed Laslo Djere in the last eight with the Serbian facing Chinese wildcard JC Shang in the first round.
The third quarter holds the pick of the first round match with No 5 seed Jan-Lennard Struff set to take on Marin Cilic who enters with a protected ranking. Cerundolo may lay in wait for the winner of that match provided they can get past either Sebastian Ofner or Mackenzie Mcdonald.
With Fabian Marozsan also facing Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round in the third quarter, this section looks like the strongest collection of players.
No 2 seed Khachanov anchors the draw at the bottom of the fourth quarter and will face either Emil Ruusuvuori or Benjamin Bonzi in the last 16.
No 6 seed Lorenzo Musetti is set to take on home hope Chak Lam Coleman Wong in his first round match.