Wednesday tennis acca tips: Ons Jabeur to end Emma Raducanu's run in Abu Dhabi

Emma Raducanu notched an impressive win to start her Abu Dhabi campaign but it might be asking too much of her to string together back-to-back wins for the first time this term.

Raducanu faces Ons Jabeur in the round of 16 with the Tunisian expected to receive great support.

Here we make our picks for that match and others on the professional tours.

 

ATP Marseille: Hubert Hurkacz vs Alexander Shevchenko | Pick: Hurkacz

ATP Marseille: Roberto Bautista Agut vs Karen Khachanov | Pick: Khachanov

ATP Dallas: Denis Kudla vs Radu Albot | Pick: Kudla

ATP Dallas: Taro Daniel vs Tommy Paul | Pick: Paul

WTA Abu Dhabi: Daria Kasatkina vs Ashlyn Krueger | Pick: Kasatkina

WTA Abu Dhabi: Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Magda Linette | Pick: Haddad Maia

WTA Abu Dhabi: Sorana Cirstea vs Maria Sakkari | Pick: Sakkari

WTA Abu Dhabi: Emma Raducanu vs Ons Jabeur | Pick: Jabeur

 

ATP Marseille: Hubert Hurkacz vs Alexander Shevchenko

Hubert Hurkacz defeated Alexander Shevchenko 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 in their only meeting, which took place in the Round of 32 of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2015.

With Hurkacz hovering around the top ten consistently this is a match he would be expected to win nine times out of ten.

Hurkacz's most recent match ended in a 6-7, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6 loss to Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open quarter-finals last month.

Shevchenko defeated Benjamin Bonzi 7-6, 6-4 in his last Round of 32 match on Monday.

 

ATP Marseille: Roberto Bautista Agut vs Karen Khachanov

Next up in Marseille, third seed Karen Khachanov and Roberto Bautista Agut will play each other for the tenth time. 

The victor of this second-round matchup will next face Felix Auger-Aliassime or Quentin Halys. 

In this matchup, Roberto Bautista Agut has often thwarted Khachanov, defeating the Russian six times in nine meetings. 

However, Khachanov is now well-placed to get a match back in their head-to-head as the form player.

 

ATP Dallas: Denis Kudla vs Radu Albot

Moldova's Radu Albot faces home hope and Dallas Open qualifier Denis Kudla.

This will be the first professional meeting between these two players at any level.

Kudla and Albot are making their ATP tour main draw debuts in 2024 with this matchup with both men failing in attempts to qualify for previous events.

A couple of wins in qualifying could be difference-makers for Kudla who is likely to be the more confident player.

 

ATP Dallas: Taro Daniel vs Tommy Paul

The second seed Tommy Paul plays Taro Daniel in his Dallas Open debut. 

The victor of this second-round match might go up against Dominik Koepfer, the sixth seed, in the quarter-finals. 

Paul has only advanced to one quarterfinal this year and is just 47th in the Live ATP Race to Turin despite being the world No 14.

Daniel has enjoyed a great start to the new year and is No 26 in the Live ATP Race with 63 more ranking points this year than his American opponent. 

 

WTA Abu Dhabi: Daria Kasatkina vs Ashlyn Krueger

In the Abu Dhabi Open's second round, qualifier Ashlyn Krueger and seventh-seeded Daria Kasatkina will face off. 

The victor of their first-ever matchup will face Sorana Cirstea or Maria Sakkari in the quarter-finals. 

Daria Kasatkina has won six of her first nine games this year, which is a great start to the season that includes a run to the Adelaide final. 

Kasatkina is one win away from matching her effort in Abu Dhabi last season.

 

WTA Abu Dhabi: Beatriz Haddad Maia vs Magda Linette

The sixth-seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia will face the unseeded Magda Linette in Abu Dhabi. 

The winner of their matchup in the second round will face Ons Jabeur or Emma Raducanu in the quarterfinals. 

Magda Linette is making her debut in Abu Dhabi, and the Pole is doing well thus far as, without dropping a set, she overcame Alexandra Eala, in the opening round. 

Linette is formidable on hard courts but might struggle with the all-around game of the Brazilian.

 

WTA Abu Dhabi: Sorana Cirstea vs Maria Sakkari

Cirstea had lost in the first round of three consecutive tournaments, including the Australian Open before she arrived at the Abu Dhabi Open but in her first match here, she bested Caroline Garcia, a former top-five player.

After losing a hotly contested first set, Cirstea battled back to win her first comeback match of the year, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4. 

Sakkari got a bye into the second round since he was one of the top seeds.

On a fast hard court, Sakkari should find her level quick enough to put Cirstea away but will need to be sharp.

 

WTA Abu Dhabi: Emma Raducanu vs Ons Jabeur

Former US Open Champion Raducanu faces a stiff challenge to reach the last eight in Abu Dhabi.

Raducanu faces a fresh Ons Jabeur in the second round in what will be the first meeting between these players.

Jabeur hasn't played at all since her shock Australian Open exit at the hands of Mirra Andreeva.

However, Jabeur should be able to overwhelm Raducanu with her cunning offensive game.