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Scouting Report: Alcaraz, Isner & Thiem Headline Umag, Atlanta & Kitzbuhel | ATP Tour

Scouting Report: Alcaraz, Isner & Thiem Headline Umag, Atlanta & Kitzbuhel | ATP Tour

The action takes place on both clay and hard courts this week on the ATP Tour, as a host of Top 20 stars compete at three ATP 250 events across two continents.

Reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz headlines the field at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, while Casper Ruud is the top seed at the at the week’s other European clay-court event, the Generali Open in Kitzbühel. In the United States, John Isner will aim to win his seventh title on the hard courts at the Atlanta Open.

ATPTour.com looks at five things to watch from each event.

View Draws: Atlanta | Kitzbühel | Umag

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FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN ATLANTA
1) Opelka Leads The Field: Reilly Opelka will headline the field in Atlanta as he prepares to make his fifth appearance at the ATP 250 hard-court tournament. The 24-year-old, who has won titles on American soil in 2022 in Dallas and Houston, reached the semi-finals in Atlanta in 2016 and 2019, before he enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals last year. The top seed will open his campaign against Ilya Ivashka or Quentin Halys.

2) Can Isner Continue Atlanta Love Affair? Isner has captured six titles in Atlanta, with his latest success coming last year when he downed #NextGenATP countryman Brandon Nakashima in the final. The 37-year-old, who first lifted the trophy at the event in 2013, holds a 36-5 record at the tournament and will look to improve his record further when he faces NCAA singles champion Ben Shelton or a qualifier in his opening match.

3) Kyrgios Returns: Two weeks after soaring to his first major final at Wimbledon, Nick Kyrgios will look to continue his momentum on the hard courts in Atlanta. The Australian, who holds a 21-7 record on the season, is a former champion in Georgia, having defeated Isner to win the title in 2016. The 27-year-old starts his title quest against a qualifier.

4) Draw Stacked With Americans: Excluding qualifiers, there are 11 Americans in the draw, with Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and Sebastian Korda among the standout names. Tiafoe is making his fifth appearance in Atlanta, with his best result this season a run to the final in Estoril. Paul arrives off the back of a strong grass swing, where he earned a 7-4 record, while Korda will be returning to action for the first time since June, when he picked up an injury in Eastbourne.

Tiafoe could face Korda first up in Atlanta,…

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