Day 3 in Acapulco will see former champion and top seed Alexander Zverev in action as he squares up against Miomir Kecmanovic for a place in the quarterfinals. Several other matches are also on the schedule, including three in this piece involving players who are meeting for the first time. We offer our predictions on who will advance to the last eight.
ATP Acapulco Day 3 Predictions
Brandon Nakashima vs Patrick Kypson
Head–to–Head: First Meeting
Brandon Nakashima powered into the next round of the Mexican Open with a clinical 6-3, 6-4 dismissal of Elias Ymer, conceding just a single break point in a crisp 79-minute display. The American has lacked momentum in recent weeks, but flashes of his early-season form, which carried him to the Brisbane final, were unmistakable in his clean ball-striking and first-serve control.
Next comes a far sterner test against qualifier Patrick Kypson, fresh off a stunning upset of world No. 6 Alex de Minaur in a two-hour, 39-minute thriller. Nakashima remains the favourite thanks to his steadier baseline patterns, but the matchup could hinge on return pressure. Kypson protected his serve superbly in the last round and brings the kind of first-strike aggression that can quickly turn a rhythm battle into a shootout. However, lightning will not strike twice.
Prediction: Nakashima in 3
Terence Atmane vs Rafael Jodar
Head–to–Head: First Meeting
Terence Atmane showed his trademark left-handed explosiveness to record a solid straight-sets win over veteran Grigor Dimitrov in the opener and now faces rising star, Rafael Jodar, a matchup that promises sharp contrasts in tempo and intent. The Frenchman thrives on first-strike tennis and heavy serves, while the Spaniard relies on patience, court coverage, and point construction to disrupt rhythm.
Dimitrov’s service wasn’t at its imperious best, allowing Atmane to seize the advantage into a comfortable win, and I don’t think he will be in the same vantage position against Jodar, who didn’t face a single break of serve in the opener against Cameron Norrie. I have the Spaniard winning this one
Prediction: Jodar in 3
Flavio Cobolli vs Dalibor Svrcina
Head–to–Head: First Meeting
Flavio Cobolli can be prone to an upset, but when he is in the groove, he is almost unstoppable. A three-match winless streak gave way to a semi-final run at Delray Beach, where he lost to eventual champion Sebastian Korda, and he has brought that form to Mexico, defeating home favourite Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez in straight sets, albeit via two tiebreakers.
In this form, he should have no trouble disposing of Dalibor Svircina, even though they’re the same age; the gulf in class is significantly wide. A comfortable win for the Italian is on the cards.
Prediction: Cobolli in 2
Alexander Zverev vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Head–to–Head: Zverev 2 – 1 Kecmanovic
Alexander Zverev steps into this clash as the clear favourite, armed with one of the tour’s most explosive first serves and a baseline game built for pressure moments. When his backhand is firing, he controls rallies with ruthless depth, forcing opponents into defensive patterns early. But as always with the Germans, the key variable is consistency; lapses in concentration can quickly turn dominance into a grind.
Miomir Kecmanović, meanwhile, thrives in exactly those grinding exchanges. The Serbian’s counterpunching instincts and ability to redirect pace make him dangerous, as he showed in his upset of Tommy Paul in Dallas a fortnight ago.
For Kecmanović, the path to an upset lies in absorbing Zverev’s early power and turning the match into a physical chess battle, but still, it will be difficult to go against Zverev, who is a two-time finalist here.
Prediction: Zverev in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
