Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Beijing match.
Both players face a tricky opening assignment in Beijing. Jakub Menšík has cooled off since his Miami breakthrough but still carries dangerous potential, while Miomir Kecmanović, once inside the top 30, has struggled to rediscover his consistency.
Miomir Kecmanović
Recent months have been disappointing for the Serbian. He has lost five of his last eight matches on outdoor hard courts, including defeats to Americans outside the top 50 such as Sebastian Korda, Ethan Quinn and Zachary Svajda. Early eliminations have become a recurring problem – in his last 11 tournaments Kecmanović has fallen in the first round seven times. His career win rate on hard courts is modest at 56% (143-110).
Jakub Menšík
The young Czech has also been inconsistent, alternating wins and losses without fully showing top-20 quality. Still, Menšík tends to navigate opening rounds well: only three first-round eliminations in his last 20 tournaments. Jakub has taken at least a set in 13 of his last 19 matches, and his career hard-court record is stronger than Kecmanović’s at 70% (73-31). This season’s highlight was a stunning Miami Masters win over Novak Djokovic.
Miomir Kecmanović vs Jakub Menšík Prediction
Despite his dip in form, Menšík has the more reliable hard-court record and usually clears the first hurdle. Against an opponent prone to early eliminations, he looks well placed to advance with a comfortable margin.
