Tennis tipster Andy Schooler has two underdogs to back in the first round of the ATP Cincinnati Open 2025 on Thursday. Read his expert insight exclusively for kwiff in his latest preview.
ATP Cincinnati Open 2025: R1 Tips
Cincinnati Open 2025: Rinderknech v Borges
Rinderknech looks overpriced in this match-up, one set to take place in fairly quick conditions which should favour the Frenchman. His big serve works well when the ball is coming off the surface fast, as he showed when beating Alex Zverev at Wimbledon. He’s also made the quarter-finals at Queen’s Club and the semis in Kitzbuhel in recent weeks, so arrives here in decent form and I can certainly forgive him a bad day at the office in Toronto last week where he lost to a local wild card.
In contrast, Borges is just 5-6 since the start of the grasscourt season and he may find conditions a bit too quick here, albeit we can’t be too sure how the newly-laid courts will play given they are now of the Har-Tru variety, a change from last season. However, it’s the same Har-Tru surface (and Wilson balls) which have been in use in Toronto and Washington on the tour in recent weeks and those events have delivered the ‘medium-fast’ conditions which the surface’s official rating suggests. Back Rinderknech to notch another decent win here at a tasty price.
Cincinnati Open 2025: Etcheverry v Shang
Another underdog with potential is Shang. The Chinese is only just back from a six-month injury lay-off but he was competitive in Toronto last week against James Duckworth and here goes up against a player who has disappointed for much of 2025.
Etcheverry arrives here having won just four of his last 14 matches and I doubt he’s going to be massively enthused by the expected quicker-than-average conditions. On that front, it’s very much worth noting that Shang won their two previous meetings, both of which took place on grass. I realise some will be put off by the lack of matches under his belt but Shang may be able to deliver a winner at odds-against.
Cincinnati Open 2025: Coric v Nava (Fri)
Looking at Friday’s coupon, not a great deal stands out but I reckon Nava could deliver in this contest. Like so may Americans over the years, he’s been enthused by playing on home soil and has produced some eycatching performances in the past couple of weeks.
He qualified and then won two main-draw rounds in Toronto before falling in three sets to Karen Khachanov, a player who went on to make the final. And Nava has already backed up that run by winning two qualifiers here, both in straight sets, and losing serve only once. That shot impressed in Toronto too. Coric has long been a feast-or-famine player and there’s been a bit too much of the latter in recent years.
He arrives here having lost his last three matches, only one of which has come recently. Coric missed the grasscourt season and when he returned to action in Toronto, he was duly beaten by Matteo Gigante. The problem is there’s no market at time of writing. I suspect Nava’s price may be inflated due to Coric being a former champion here but that was some time ago now (2022) and the American may well win this.
ATP Cincinnat Openi 2025: R1 Tips
Rinderknech to beat Borges @ 2.5 with kwiff
Shang to beat Etcheverry @ 2.1 with kwiff
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