Los Cabos Open Predictions

2017 ATP Los Cabos Preview and Predictions
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The ATP is back again in Mexico, for the 250 in Los Cabos. Here is your full preview with predictions.

Abierto Mexicano De Tenis Mifel Presentado Por Cinemex
ATP World Tour 250
July 31-August 5, 2017
Los Cabos, Mexico
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $637,395

Top 4 seeds (who all receive first round byes) (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Tomas Berdych (14)
2: Sam Querrey (24)
3: Albert Ramos-Vinolas (23)
4: Feliciano Lopez (28)

For a 250, Los Cabos has attracted a solid field.

Top Half:

Coming off the Wimbledon semifinals, Tomas Berdych should dispatch Akira Santillan or Konstantin Kravchuk, and then do the same against Adrian Mannarino in the quarters. Mannarino opens with Jason Jung, Tatsuma Ito or Bjorn Fratangelo will follow.

Albert Ramos is the #3 seed, but he’s not good on hard courts usually. I have Mikhail Kukushkin building on the momentum he built at the challenger level and defeating both Taylor Fritz and Ramos to reach the quarterfinals. Canadian Peter Polansky is 12-3 since Wimbledon, he should beat Yasutaka Uchiyama for the second week in a row, then upset Thanasi Kokkinakis, who hasn’t yet reached his best level since returning to the tour from injury. Kokkinakis will be favored over a struggling Frances Tiafoe. Kukushkin is my pick to reach the semifinals from this weak section.

Bottom Half:

Sam Querrey should build off his great showing at Wimbledon to defeat Evan King or local wild card Manuel Sanchez. Blaz Kavcic just won a challenger title and should have the inside track against Vincent Millot, Fernando Verdasco should be solid enough on hard courts to defeat Ernesto Escobedo, who is in poor form, and then Kavcic, before falling to Querrey.

Feliciano Lopez has struggled this season, but he should beat Dennis Novikov or recent Newport finalist Matt Ebden. I have Ivo Karlovic defeating Quentin Halys, and then Damir Dzumhur or Taro Daniel. Karlovic should serve his way into the semifinals over Lopez in what would be an entertaining quarterfinal.