Russia’s Daniil Medvedev has arrived in California after security delays in Dubai. He will face Alejandro Tabilo of Chile on Saturday. Ugo Humbert from France will also be playing with Alex Michelsen from America.
(11) Daniil Medvedev vs. Alejandro Tabilo
Dubai champion Daniil Medvedev recently managed to travel to the California desert after being stranded in Dubai this week due to ongoing strikes from Iran. The Russian won the Dubai tournament for the second time, making it the first time he has won the same event twice (2023, 2026). That was followed by a difficult travel experience, which he described as “like something out of a Hollywood movie.” It included a seven-hour drive to Oman and his driver’s lost passport.
In general, Medvedev would be an easy choice for this. Alejandro Tabilo has seen most of his success come on clay, although only two of his titles have come on hard courts. Tabilo carded dangerous Rafael Jodar in the first round, but the young Spaniard was so far off his game that it’s hard to say whether the beating was related to Tabilo’s form. Despite the difficulty of travel, Medvedev still has to advance to the third round.
Pick Cheryl: Medvedev at 2
Ricky’s pick: Medvedev at 2
(32) Ugo Humbert vs. Alex Michelsen
France’s Ugo Humbert also played in Dubai last week, but lost in the second round to Andrey Rublev and pulled out of Dubai before the airspace was closed. Humbert has had consistent results this year so far. He played in the finals in Adelaide and in the games in Rotterdam, but was quickly defeated everywhere. He managed to grab the number 32, but ran into a strong Alex Michelsen.
The American does not have impressive results in 2026, but he has not been playing badly. He lost to Sebastian Korda in the second round in Delray Beach, who went on to win the event. The betting odds give Humbert a slight edge, but I’m going with Michelsen.
Cheryl chose: Michelsen at 3
Ricky’s pick: Michelsen at 3
