ATP 250 Hangzhou: Our favourite to win the title
by Cydias Aujard | by Cydias Aujard
ATP 250 Hangzhou: a difficult double
In the many matches scheduled for this Chinese tournament, which we will be covering with our tennis predictions, Marin Cilic will face a qualifier in the first round.
The 36-year-old Croatian is trying his luck again in China to defend the title he won against local player Zhizhen Zhang. However, Marin Cilic's form this season remains below last year's level, as he has played only five matches in total on hard courts this season and has won only two consecutive victories on this surface once this year.
Can a local player win the title?
Last year's finalist, Zhizhen Zhang, is not expected to be among the favourites this year, as he is making his comeback on the tennis court in this local tournament thanks to a wild card, after several months out with a shoulder injury.
The main hope for the Chinese public is likely to remain with 23-year-old Yunchaokete Bu. The two players will face each other in the first round, and it is Bu who is expected to string together a few wins, as he did in Winston Salem last month against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Mariano Navone to reach the quarter-finals.
A semi-finalist last season, where he was stopped by his compatriot Zhizhen Zhang, he could reach that level again, but it may be too much to hope for a first title this season.
ATP 250 Hangzhou: Bublik makes a strong comeback
The 28-year-old Kazakh is having an exceptional season. He has broken into the top 20 for the first time in his career and has won no fewer than four titles in total. Winner of the Turin Challenger 2, he has triumphed in the ATP tournaments in Halle, Gstaad and, most recently, Kitzbuhel.
Competing in the US Open Grand Slam for the seventh time in his career last month, he won his first three rounds and reached the round of 16 for the first time in his career in front of the New York crowd. However, an injury slowed him down a few days ago and should push the player to regain his confidence on the tennis courts.
That's why the number 3 seed should be keen to string together victories and add a title on this hard surface to his 2025 record. Possibly facing Daniil Medvedev later in the tournament, the Kazakh should be able to prove his superiority this season.
Our ATP 250 Hangzhou winner prediction: Alexander Bublik wins the title!
