Miami Masters 2023: Rublev vs J.J. Wolf Prediction, Odds & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Miami Masters first-round match featuring Andrey Rublev vs J.J. Wolf on Friday, March 24, 2023.

Andrey Rublev vs J.J. Wolf Match Preview

After an indifferent start to the year in Australia, Andrey Rublev has got his season back on track. But he opens up in a tricky matchup against J.J. Wolf at the Miami Masters. Who will prevail?

Andrey Rublev had a bye in the first round, like all the top 32 seeds, but faces one of the dangerous floaters in the draw in J.J. Wolf. And aside from the semifinal he reached at the Miami Masters back in 2021, the Russian has generally fared poorly in Florida, losing before the third round stage five times in seven visits. Is another early exit on the cards?

J.J. Wolf scored a fine win over Alexander Bublik in a frothy first-round match. He needed to come from behind in that first set, with Bublik failing to serve for it. Once he turned that set around, Wolf began to loosen up and started to swing freely off that stunningly accurate first serve and fed off the crowd’s support to get the job done in straight sets. Can he shock Andrey Rublev and advance into the third round of the Miami Masters?

Andrey Rublev vs J.J. Wolf Prediction and Pick

Andrey Rublev leads J.J. Wolf 1-0 in their head-to-head. That lone meeting was also played on the hard courts on U.S. soil with Rublev defeating the American in Washington last year. Wolf has a truncated ball toss, but his serve is stunningly accurate almost every time. If he can get it firing in this match, I think he might cause Rublev plenty of problems. But the Russian appears to have cleaned up his act after a terrible start to the year. So we expect the World No. 7 to address his poor record at the Miami Masters and start his campaign with a bang.