Qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin faces unseeded Alexander Shevchenko in the first round of the Almaty Open, with the winner set to meet either sixth seed Zhizhen Zhang or qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the second round.
Alexander Shevchenko, currently ranked 61st, is from Kazakhstan and has previously reached a high of 45th in February. The 23-year-old is looking to capitalize on his recent performance, having advanced to the last 32 at the Shanghai Masters after winning two matches, including a notable victory over world number 31 Francisco Cerundolo. Shevchenko will seek revenge against Kukushkin, who defeated him in their last encounter at the Hangzhou tournament in mid-September.
Mikhail Kukushkin, also from Kazakhstan, is ranked 111th and had to qualify for this tournament. He won both qualifying matches in straight sets, surrendering only 11 games. The 36-year-old had a recent run to the semi-finals of a Challenger Tour event prior to this, although he missed qualifying for the Shanghai Masters due to an injury retirement in his match against Li Tu.
Considering Shevchenko’s home advantage, recent form, and desire for revenge, we predict Shevchenko will win this match.