The Acapulco tournament kicks off with Zverev leading the field, while the defending champion is absent!

Another week is ending, and next week will continue with 500-level tournaments. Apart from the consecutive Dubai events in the Middle East, the Cactus Kingdom overseas will welcome the Acapulco competition. The latest draw has just been announced by the organizers; let's preview it now.

The former champion Zverev will make his first appearance since the Australian Open, facing the French maverick Moutet in the opening round; another player in this section is former British No.1 Norrie, who will play a wildcard entrant in round one. Also, Bulgarian Dimitrov and Serbian star Kecmanovic are clustered in this quarter.

The second quarter is led by Norway’s top player Ruud, who will face the winner between French veteran Mannarino and American Spizzirri in the second round. Another seeded player here is Cobolli; the Italian third-ranked player has struggled this season and failed to reach the final at this week’s Delray Beach event.

The third quarter is headed by Spain’s blonde-haired talent Fokina. After missing the chance to win a 250-level title early in the year, he has limited opportunities to pick up points this season. His first-round opponent is the German Altmaier.

Another seeded player is the American big man Tiafoe, who will be opposite Portugal’s top player Borges across the net; American rising star Korda reached the final at Delray Beach, but given his recent physical condition, there is a possibility he may withdraw at the last moment.

The final quarter is led by Australia’s top player De Minaur, who won this event twice in the past three years. Last year, he skipped defending his title to compete in Dubai but was unsuccessful; this year, he returns to this familiar tournament. Although he still lacks breakthroughs in Grand Slams, after losing two Rotterdam finals in recent years, he finally triumphed this year by defeating former champion Aliassime, claiming his first title there, which surely boosts his confidence heading into Acapulco.

Another seeded player is last year’s Shanghai Masters champion Vacherot. Although the Monegasque has rarely advanced deep in tournaments since then, his improved competitive temperament is noticeable. Additionally, this quarter includes strong players like Monfils and Brandon Nakashima.

As for the defending champion Makhachev, he has entered the simultaneous Dubai tournament and drew Shapovalov in the first round, posing a risk of early exit. If he loses, he will suffer a significant points loss, causing his ranking to drop further.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Luo Cheng Qiye)