Stefanos Tsitsipas is by far the more accomplished and higher-quality player of the two, but he appears too short in the betting here given his mediocre record on American hard courts throughout his career.
Alexander Kovacevic also has the advantage of playing at home and, on his day, possesses a game that can be very potent in these conditions.
Tsitsipas Brings Strong Form Against Lower-Ranked Players
- Kovacevic is looking for his third quarterfinal of 2026.
- He has lost six of his last eight matches against players outside the Top 50.
- Tsitsipas is looking for his first quarterfinal in North America since Acapulco in 2024.
- He has an 18–3 record against players outside the Top 50 this year.
HTH - Stefanos Tsitsipas leads 1-0
| Year | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Los Cabos | QF | Hard | Stefanos Tsitsipas | 7-6(1), 6-3 |
Kovacevic Builds Confidence With a Strong Win
Aleksandar Kovacevic defeated Luca Van Assche in straight sets to reach the third round in Winston-Salem, 6-1, 7-6. He fired eight aces and saved three of the four break points he faced.
This is a confidence-boosting result for the American, who arrived this week after winning only one main-draw match across his last eight tour-level events.
The 27-year-old has played 24 events this year and registered multiple main-draw wins only three times, reaching the semifinals in Brisbane and Hamburg and the third round in Indian Wells.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Age | Born 29 August 1998 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 89 |
| Career High | No. 54 (12 January 2026) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 155 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 1 |
Tsitsipas Looks to Break His Recent Cycle of Early Exits
Stefanos Tsitsipas opened his campaign with a straight-sets win over Jenson Brooksby in the second round in Winston-Salem, 6-4, 7-6. He trailed 1-3 in the first set and also saved a set point in the second before closing out the match in straight sets.
The Greek recently ended his disappointing run with a title in Gstaad, but he quickly slipped back into his previous struggles by failing to register multiple wins in his last three events.
He has played 19 events this year and registered multiple main-draw wins only four times, with his notable results including the quarterfinals in Doha, fourth round in Madrid and third round in Miami.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Greece |
| Age | Born 12 August 1998 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 53 |
| Career High | No. 3 (09 August 2021) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 28 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 14 |