The second week of the American Challenger swing is up, and after the Maui event was won by Hyeon Chung, it moves to the American mainland for the first time in 2017.
Ryan Harrison is the top seed, with NextGen star Taylor Fritz and tour veteran Mikhail Kukushkin also featuring.
Selected draw: (Picks in bold):
(1) Ryan Harrison vs (WC) Eric Quigley: Quigley works incredibly hard, almost like a modern-day Michael Russell, but is likely up against a player with too much quality. Harrison in straight sets.
Qualifier vs (5) Benjamin Becker: It would be unfair to comment with the qualifier’s identity not yet known, but it is worth noting that Becker is in very poor form coming into this tournament.
(3) Mikhail Kukushin vs Dennis Novikov: Novikov is usually accustomed to featuring in these draws as a seeded player himself. A dramatic loss of form over the last twelve months has seen his ranking slip though. Kukushkin is also in poor form, with three first-round defeats to open the year, but should expect to win this one.
Qualifier vs (4) Frances Tiafoe: Tiafoe is in good form, having broken into the Top 100 again. I would fancy his chances against anyone from the qualifying draw but nevertheless reserve judgement.
(6) Denis Kudla vs James McGee: Kudla has had a decidedly weird start to the year after ending 2016 in poor form. He has dropped sets against lower ranked players, yet has consistently found a way to win. His defeat to Lukas Lacko in the final round of Aussie Qualifying doesn’t look so bad considering the run Lacko then went on to have. McGee is in poor form, and has had to resort to qualifying for some Challenger events recently.
(7) Rajeev Ram vs Kimmer Coppejans: A tough match to call. Coppejans is in poor form, whilst Ram’s has been declining ever since he won his second Newport title a few years back. Ram is also more of a fixture on grass in singles, and increasingly playing doubles as opposed to singles. Coppejans is playing more singles at the moment so I think that could edge it.
Elias Ymer vs (8) Tim Smyczek: Smyczek won many plaudits for his show of sportsmanship against Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open a few years ago. He failed to qualify this time around though, and his ranking has slipped below no.150 for the first time since 2012. Ymer is a heavily favoured youngster, but is better on clay than hard.
The tournament in Dallas is worth 100 ATP points.
