Mexican Open Draw: Zverev faces early hurdles; De Minaur, Ruud, & Davidovich Fokina in action
The draw has been revealed for the Mexican Open – an ATP 500 event – with the likes of Alexander Zverev, Alex De Minaur, Casper Ruud, and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina all competing to get their hands on the unique pear trophy.
The Mexican Open is staged in Acapulco at the Arena GNP Seguros on hard courts, having been played on red clay courts prior to 2014.
This year’s edition will be the tournament’s 33rd and will take place from February 23 – 28.
The total prize pot sits at $2,469,450, whilst the last man standing will gain $461,835 towards their career prize money.
Previous champions include the likes of Rafael Nadal, Zverev, Dominic Thiem, Nick Kyrgios, and Grigor Dimitrov.
At last year’s edition, Czech Tomas Machac defeated Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6(6), 6-2 to collect his first singles title on the ATP Tour.
The 22-Grand Slam champion Nadal holds the record for most titles at the Mexican Open, winning in 2005, 2013, 2020, and 2022.
Withdrawals from the event include world No 5 Lorenzo Musetti and world No 9 Ben Shelton, both due to ongoing leg discomfort.
There are six top 20 players in action, and the seeds are: Zverev (1), De Minaur (2), Ruud (3), Davidovich Fokina (4), Cobolli (5), Valentin Vacherot (6), Cameron Norrie (7), Frances Tiafoe (8).
Top Half
World No 4 Alexander Zverev, who won the title in 2021, leads the top half of the draw after an impressive run to the Australian Open semi-finals.
The German will face the tricky Frenchman Corentin Moutet in the opening round, with either Miomir Kecmanovic or Tristan Schoolkate in the second round.
Elsewhere in his quarter lies seventh seed Cameron Norrie – who opens against the young Spaniard Rafael Jodar – and the 2014 champion Dimitrov, who faces Terence Atmane.
No 3 seed Ruud returns to the tournament against a qualifier and – if victorious – would then face either Adrian Mannarino or Eliot Spizzirri.
The Norwegian would then, likely, draw Cobolli in the quarter-finals, who he holds a 1-0 head-to-head lead over.
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Bottom Half
No 2 seed De Minaur has enjoyed a successful start to the season, reaching the last eight in Melbourne and lifting the title in Rotterdam.
The two-time Mexican Open champion will open against a qualifier, with Brandon Nakashima or another qualifier awaiting in the second round.
Shanghai Masters champion Valentin Vacherot enters the event as the sixth seed, and likely quarter-final opponent for De Minaur, if he can navigate his way past a qualifier and then either Gael Monfils or Damir Dzumhur.
In the other section of the half, fourth seed Davidovich Fokina will play Daniel Altmaier in the first round, while Mattia Bellucci or Sebastian Korda are his potential second-round opponents.
Eighth seed Tiafoe opens his campaign against Nuno Borges, before playing either Aleksandar Kovacevic or Adam Walton.
Projected Acapulco quarter-finals
Zverev (1) vs Norrie (7)
Ruud (3) vs Cobolli (5)
Tiafoe (8) vs Davidovich Fokina (4)
Vacherot (7) vs De Minaur (2)
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