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The sphere is in motion on Friday on the Miami Masters with Tommy Paul taking over the unpredictable Alexander Bublik and French veteran Gael Monfils dealing with Jiri Lehecka. It marks the beginning of spherical two.
(12) Tommy Paul vs. Alexander Bublik
Final week Alexander Bublik reached the ultimate of the Phoenix Challenger, however not earlier than he challenged quarterfinal opponent Corentin Moutet to a fist combat within the car parking zone after their match. The temperamental participant from Kazakhstan is ranked eightieth on this planet with simply three main-tour wins this yr (together with his Miami Open first-round victory over Sebastian Baez on Wednesday).
There isn’t prone to be any such fireworks in his second-round match in opposition to Tommy Paul. The No. 12 seed has a notably calm demeanor that not often pushes his opponent’s buttons. Paul has a tidy 2-0 report over Bublik; their newest match was a straight-set affair at Wimbledon in 2024. Whereas Bublik performed a lot better in Phoenix, he’s unlikely to have sufficient to upset the American on his most well-liked floor in entrance of the house crowd.
Cheryl decide: Paul in 2Ricky decide: Paul in 2
(26) Jiri Lehecka vs. Gael Monfils
Widespread French participant Gael Monfils is No. 46 on this planet, nevertheless it’s a misleading rating for the best way the 38-year-old is enjoying in 2025. Monfils began off his season together with his first title since 2023 and adopted up his victory in Auckland with a run to the spherical of 16 on the Australian Open. He wasn’t fairly as profitable in Indian Wells, the place he misplaced within the third spherical to Grigor Dimitrov, however he has nonetheless been enjoying effectively.
Jiri Lehecka, a 23-year-old from Czechia, additionally began off his season with a title. Nonetheless, he didn’t win a match in both Dubai or Indian Wells. Lehecka earned a bye in Miami, which suggests his match in opposition to Monfils shall be his first on the courts of Miami. Whereas it is perhaps a stretch to name a Monfils win an upset, search for the seeded participant to be at a major drawback. The gang will nearly definitely get behind Monfils, who’s a sentimental favourite.
Cheryl decide: Monfils in 3Ricky decide: Monfils in 2
