Mikhail Kukushkin could down troubled Dimitrov

ATP Vienna Open
Sky Action, midday Wednesday
WTA Finals Singapore
BT Sport 1, 12.30pm Wednesday

Mikhail Kukushkin holds a 2-1 head-to-head record over Grigor Dimitrov and the Kazakh qualifier has a chance to extend that lead when they meet again in the opening round of the ATP Vienna Open.

Kukushkin, who won in five sets when the pair last did battle at the 2015 US Open, scored an excellent qualifying win over Andrey Rublev in the Austrian capital and also played well as he made the main draw at the Shanghai Masters.

Dimitrov was expected to kick on after the best season of his career in 2017 but the Bulgarian world number ten has had a tough time by his high standards, reaching only one quarter-final since the start of the grass-court season and slipping to 22nd in the Race to London.

Kukushkin is the underdog due to Dimitrov's superior talent but on form they should arguably be closer in the betting.

US Open champion Naomi Osaka has work to do if she is to escape from the Red Group at the WTA Finals following Monday's defeat to Sloane Stephens.

Ante-post Singapore favourite Osaka takes on Wimbledon queen Angelique Kerber with both bidding for a victory to keep their chances alive. Stephens, meanwhile, faces Kerber's conqueror Kiki Bertens with a chance to take hold of the group.

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