Stan Wawrinka vs Max Purcell prediction and odds: Cincinnati Open 2023

Stan the man is rolling back the years at the Western & Southern Open. He is playing fine tennis, yet he is facing a dangerous Aussie in the form of Max Purcell in the next round. So, how will this one play out? Take a look at my tennis predictions today for the best bets to make.

These odds from Ladbrokes were correct at the time of writing.

Wawrinka vs Purcell – match predictions

It’s fair to say that you wouldn’t always expect to see a wildcard taking on a qualifier in the third round of a Masters 1000 event. However, with Wawrinka being one of the Cincinnati Open wildcards, and with Purcell flying the flag for the qualifiers, that’s exactly what we have in store here. Both of these guys are playing top-level tennis at the moment too, which makes this an intriguing contest.

Anyway, you’ve come here looking for some Wawrinka vs Purcell predictions, so let me provide two high-value options right now:

Wawrinka to win

Given the performance that he showed in his most recent win over Frances Tiafoe in the previous round, I’ve got to take Stan Wawrinka for the win. He was playing tennis that reminded me of the ‘classic’ Wawrinka from several years ago – the kind of form that took him to three Grand Slam titles. Additionally, he didn’t just beat Tiafoe, the 10th seed, he dismantled him.

Over 22.5 games

Although Wawrinka is playing fantastic tennis at the Western & Southern Open, I feel that Max Purcell will cause the Swiss a few problems. I say that because Wawrinka likes to block/chip his returns back in play, while Purcell has an excellent serve/volley – something he used to great effect to beat Casper Ruud in the previous round. Therefore, while I believe Wawrinka will win, it could well be a tight contest.

Wawrinka vs Purcell preview

Before you race ahead and cover the two markets shown above, I feel it’s a good idea to check out a preview for each guy ahead of the match this evening. So let me direct you to the previews below:

Stan Wawrinka preview

At 38 years of age, it’s crazy to see the kind of tennis that Stan Wawrinka is still producing. He is taking out guys that are well over 10 years younger than him, and he will need to do the same again today if he is to beat Max Purcell. Additionally, Wawrinka is ranked 51 in the world at the moment.

Max Purcell preview

In my opinion, Max Purcell is one of the most improved players inside the top 100. He has now established himself as a threat to the top guys too, especially with the win over the 5th seed, Casper Ruud in his last match. However, he’s not super experienced at this level yet, as reflected in his ranking of 70.

Wawrinka vs Purcell head to head

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the age gap between Wawrinka and Purcell, they have yet to face one another in an ATP-level tournament. Therefore, the head-to-head record is non-existent.

• Match Schedule – August 17th, 20:45 GMT
• Venue – Cincinnati, USA
• Viewing Options – Amazon Prime