fils-vs-mensik

Where to Watch

🖥️📱 Click here for live coverage on TennisChannel.com (United States only; start time at approximately 1:00 p.m. ET on March 27)

The winner of this match will play either No. 3 seed Taylor Fritz or Italy's Matteo Berrettini. Both are looking to make their first Miami Open semifinal.

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Arthur Fils reveals how he pulled off a three-set comeback against top seed Alexander Zverev in Miami

Miami Open Match Preview

The Czech and the Frenchman are both on the short list of future Grand Slam contenders. Fils is 20 years old and already in the Top 20. Mensik is 19, and 54th in the world. Neither has had a signature breakout performance, the way, say, Jack Draper did two weeks ago in Indian Wells. Could Miami be their moment?

They’ve played once, on indoor hard courts, at the Next Gen Finals last fall, and Fils came away a straight-set winner. He’s also ranked higher (No. 18 to Mensik’s 54) and has been very much in form this month. He made the quarters in Indian Wells, where he barely lost to Daniil Medvedev; in Miami, he has beaten two higher-ranked players, Frances Tiafoe and Alexander Zverev, both in grinding, confidence-building three-setters.

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While Mensik beat Draper in two tiebreakers in the second round, his other two wins have come over unseeded opponents, and he received a walkover from his countryman Tomas Machac in the round of 16.

Walkovers can be dangerous at the Slams, where they give you a four day break and potentially throw off your rhythm. But in the tighter schedule of a Masters 1000, they can help. While Mensik had a day off, Fils was surviving his second grueling match in as many days. Now he’ll have to go out there again less than 24 hours later.

Fils has momentum, he leads the head-to-head, and he may be the better all-around player. But Mensik will be fresher, and his blistering serve will be the most important weapon on the court. In this case, I’ll take rested over tested. Winner: Mensik—Steve Tignor

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Betting Odds

Fils and Mensik both sit at -110 odds to win the match

(Odds from BetMGM as of 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 26.)

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