WHILE the majority of top 10 players have opted to take to the courts in Dubai, a strong portion of talented stars are heading to Mexico for the Abierto Mexiano. While the Mexican tournament used to be on clay, it changed to blue hard courts in 2014, which is what it makes it more intriguing.

FAVOURITE:

Rafael Nadal (ESP)

It is hard not to have the Spanish superstar listed as the top player at Acapulco, having been well rested since his Australian Open campaign. Last year he was ousted in a fiery Round of 16 clash against unseeded Nick Kyrgios which continued the rivalry between the pair. Having beaten Kyrgios at the Australian Open – albeit in a four-set epic that included two tiebreakers – Nadal will be well rested for this event, and with the other two in the ‘Big Three’ facing off in Dubai simultaneously, Nadal is the clear standout prospect with Alexander Zverev and Nick Kyrgios – if he plays – as he two biggest threats. The world number two – who lost his top rank after Novak Djkovic took out the Australian Open – won here eight years apart in 2005 and 2013 – prior to its change from clay to hardcourt.

CONTENDERS:

Alexander Zverev (GER)

Last year’s runner-up is in good form this year, making it all the way to the Australian Open semi-finals, the first time he has gone that deep in a Grand Slam. In 2019, the German 22-year-old defeated former top five player, David Ferrer and rising Australian talent, Alex de Minaur on his way to the final where he fell at the hands of Kyrgios. Twelve months later and he is better prepared, and had a crucial come-from-behind four-set win over Stan Wawrinka at Melbourne Park which will give him confidence. Unlike a number of his rivals, he does not enter the tournament under an injury cloud.

Nick Kyrgios (AUS)

Will he or won’t he play? The Australian firebrand has had a shoulder complaint and then a wrist injury that has forced him out of both New York and Delray Beach, and now there are serious question marks over if he will take the court in Acapulco. Considering he withdrew from Delray Beach just hours before his first round match, it could go down to the wire. If he plays, he will need to go deep to defend his points, and he will be well rested from a month off, but also lacking match fitness compared to some of his lower ranked rivals. The biggest confidence booster for Kyrgios is the fact that 12 months ago he beat all of Nadal, Wawrinka and Zverev – as well as American John Isner – on his way to claim the crown, so he knows how to win against the trio here.

Stan Wawrinka (SUI)

The Swiss Grand Slam winner turns 35 next month, but he is still very much a threat on hard courts especially. Just ask world number four, Daniil Medvedev who Wawrinka beat at Melbourne Park in five sets. The hard hitting Swiss also knocked off Isner in the same tournament, before taking a set off Zverev in the quarter finals. He might be that touch below those three above him in this tournament at the moment, but rekindling his best form can match it with anyone in the world and he will not be underestimated.

ROUGHIES:

Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)

Unlike his higher ranked rivals, the Canadian teenager has opted to keep busy since his Australian Open exit in Round 1, going down to Latvian qualifier, Ernests Gulbis. No doubt a disappointing straight sets loss to Pierre-Hugues Herbert in Montpellier would have galvanised the North American who stepped it up in the higher World Tennis Tournament to reach the final before losing to Gael Monfils. He seems to have found his groove again now, and having not played here 12 months ago, Auger-Aliassime does not have the points to defend like others.

Alex de Minaur (AUS)

A second Australian who has a huge injury question mark surrounding him heading into this tournament, the 20-year-old top 30 talent had to withdraw from Adelaide and the Australian Open, having not played since losing to Nadal in Sydney at the ATP Cup back in January. He took him to three sets there and also claimed come-from-behind wins against Zverev and Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in that tournament. The abdominal injury that forced him to withdraw from his favourite Grand Slam might rule him out of the tournament, but having made a quarter final last year, he is every chance if he can get out on the court.

Milos Raonic (CAN)

It is hard to read the big serving Canadian, who matched it with some of the world’s best at the Australian Open, downing Chile’s Cristian Garin, Croatia’s Marin Cilic and world number six, Stefanos Tsitsipas on his way to a quarter final against eventual winner, Djokovic. He opted to play in the ATP250 tournament at New York instead of Rotterdam, but was stunned in the opening round going down to Soonwoo Kwon in three sets. He has been building form at Delray Beach, and remains a concern for those contending here, but is prone to fadeouts where he can get blown away if his serve is not on point.

DARK HORSE:

Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB)

Another newcomer to Acapulco, the 20-year-old is not spoken about as much as some of his contemporaries, but he has been showing some promising signs without yet breaking out. Aside from a disappointing straight sets loss at the Australian Open to Andreas Seppi, Kecmanovic has knocked over the likes of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and in-form players, Ugo Humbert and Marton Fucsovics in 2020 already, reaching the semi-finals in New York before losing to eventual winner, Kyle Edmund. Is a hard court player so watch for him to potentially have a breakout year in 2020. The signs are there.