The main draw at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati moves into its third day with a slate of second-round encounters that pit contrasting styles and career trajectories against one another. The Lindner Family Tennis Center’s quick hard courts have already claimed their share of casualties this week, and Saturday’s fixtures promise more of the same as the top seeds kickstart their campaigns ahead of the US Open.
ATP Cincinnati Day 3 Predictions
Terence Atmane vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Head-to-Head: Etcheverry 2-0 Atmane
Etcheverry, the 26th seed, arrives with the confidence of a consistent Top 40 presence. His game rests on a heavy serve, patient baseline construction, and the endurance to outlast opponents in long exchanges. Though his clay-court pedigree is well known, his hard-court results have improved this season through deeper North American runs, a more aggressive return stance, and greater willingness to finish points at the net.
Atmane remains a volatile proposition. The Frenchman generates explosive power off both wings and can produce clusters of aces, yet his consistency often frays under sustained pressure. He qualified with impressive shot-making, but main-draw best-of-three sets against seasoned players tend to expose tactical limitations.
Etcheverry’s task is to neutralize Atmane’s first-strike weapons by extending rallies and forcing him to create pace from defensive positions. High first-serve percentages and disciplined second-serve protection should allow the Argentine’s superior match management to prevail. Atmane will have spells of dominance if he finds early rhythm, but sustaining that level against Etcheverry’s discipline is another matter.
Prediction: Etcheverry in 2
Martin Landaluce vs Matteo Arnaldi
Head-to-Head: First meeting
Landaluce, the 20-year-old Spaniard, has drawn attention with an elegant left-handed game, a fluid serve, and groundstrokes that carry surprising weight for his slight frame. His progress has been gradual, built on Challenger success and occasional main-draw flashes that point to a higher ceiling.
Arnaldi brings a more rugged, physically imposing presence. His game centers on relentless baseline pressure, a formidable forehand, and the competitive grit that has lifted him steadily into the Top 35.
The contrast is clear. Landaluce will try to dictate with timing and angles, using his lefty serve to open the court and his compact backhand to redirect pace. Arnaldi will look to impose physicality from the first strike, stepping inside the baseline to take the ball early and shorten points. The Italian’s greater Masters 1000 experience gives him an edge in the biggest moments, yet Landaluce’s technical purity and recent hard-court improvement suggest he can make the match competitive.
The outcome likely hinges on whether Landaluce can weather Arnaldi’s initial barrage and find range in longer exchanges. More probable is that Arnaldi’s firepower and tour-hardened consistency carry him through a high-quality contest.
Prediction: Arnaldi in 2
Arthur Fils vs Yannick Hanfmann
Head-to-Head: Fils 1-0 Hanfmann
Fils has become one of the Tour’s most exciting young talents, pairing explosive athleticism with a serve that regularly climbs into the high 130s and a forehand capable of ending points from anywhere. His hard-court season has been solid if occasionally erratic, mixing deep runs with unexpected early exits.
Hanfmann remains dangerous on his day, especially when serve-and-volley instincts and flat groundstrokes click. Yet his hard-court results have declined, and movement against elite athleticism often becomes a liability.
The German’s best route is disruption—mixing serve-and-volley forays, slicing deep to the backhand, and avoiding predictable baseline exchanges. Fils is unlikely to oblige. He thrives on pace and will look to dictate immediately, using superior foot speed to hunt short balls and convert them into winners. If he serves well and avoids concentration lapses, his physical and technical edges should prove overwhelming.
Prediction: Fils in 2
Rafael Jodar vs Denis Shapovalov
Head-to-Head: Shapovalov 1-0 Jodar
Jodar, the 12th seed and one of the season’s breakout stars, carries the momentum of a busy, successful summer that established him as a genuine hard-court threat. The 19-year-old’s game has matured quickly: his serve is now a real weapon, his groundstrokes carry more weight, and his tactical awareness has sharpened. The memory of their Dallas meeting remains, however.
Shapovalov, the former Top 10 player climbing back from injury and form dips, stays dangerous whenever his high-risk style finds its range. His single-handed backhand, when timed cleanly, remains one of the most aesthetically devastating shots in the game.
Jodar will aim to extend rallies and test Shapovalov’s patience, knowing the Canadian’s error count rises in attritional points. Shapovalov will look to take the ball early, dictate with the forehand, and prevent the Spaniard from settling. Jodar’s improved physicality and confidence should make this far tighter than Dallas, but Shapovalov’s lefty serve and ability to raise his level in key moments keep him a live underdog against a teenager still adapting to Masters 1000 best-of-three rhythms.
Prediction: Shapovalov in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images