ATP Beijing Day 2 Predictions Including Alex de Minaur vs Mariano Navone

The first round of the China Open wraps up on Thursday, with both of these matches first on court at 11:00 local time. One has a seed facing a giant-killer, the other a qualifier who has already been through a lot this week.

Alex de Minaur vs Mariano Navone

De Minaur, the fifth seed and world No. 10, arrives with plenty of recent tennis. He won both of his singles rubbers in straight sets when Australia played Poland in the Davis Cup, then saved a match point to beat Alexander Zverev at the Laver Cup. He did take a graze diving for a volley there, but no injury has been reported.

Navone is the name people remember from this year’s US Open, where he knocked Novak Djokovic out in the first round before losing to Tomás Martín Etcheverry in the third. He travelled with Argentina for the Davis Cup but didn’t play, so match rhythm is the question.

They’ve met once: de Minaur won 7-5 6-1 at the 2024 Paris Masters. He’s our pick, though we have it tighter than the market does.

Prediction: de Minaur to win.

Alex Molcan vs Arthur Rinderknech

Molcan, ranked No. 96, had to earn his place. He came through qualifying with a final-set tiebreak win over eighth seed Vít Kopřiva, then beat Trungelliti in straight sets.

Rinderknech, No. 33, leads the head-to-head 2-0, including a 7-5 7-6 win when France played Slovakia in the Davis Cup in February. His recent form is less convincing, though: he lost both of his singles matches in France’s Davis Cup tie in Canada, including a three-setter against Félix Auger-Aliassime after winning the first set.

Rinderknech gets the nod, but only just. This is a lean, and closer than the price.

Prediction: Rinderknech to win.