Predicted Winners in BOLD
Great Slate of Matches as One Would Expect
[12] Feliciano Lopez (ESP) v [5] Kei Nishikori (JPN) H2H – I could see this go either way, but I think Nishikori is a higher level player in general so he is my pick.
[13] Gilles Simon (FRA) v [3] Rafael Nadal (ESP) H2H – I’d love to see Simon win as he is one of my favorites, but it is not fall 2008 any longer.
Jack Sock (USA) v [2] Roger Federer (SUI) H2H – Sock keeps making my picks look bad so he should be glad I picked Federer.
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) v [18] John Isner (USA) H2H – Isner’s second serve bothers Novak’s return game. Therefore, Isner has won some matches vs. Nole. I expect this to be close, but I also think Nole is the class of tennis at the moment so he will generally win matches that are not ideal match-ups.
[4] Andy Murray (GBR) v Adrian Mannarino (FRA) H2H – Murray seems to be playing at his Australian Open level.
[27] Lukas Rosol (CZE) v [9] Tomas Berdych (CZE) H2H – The Big Czech has been #6 for the year in my mind.
[6] Milos Raonic (CAN) v [17] Tommy Robredo (ESP) H2H – Milos needs to watch his step as Robredo is going to play a disciplined match, but I think his serve gives him enough of a margin for error to win.
[WC] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v [32] Bernard Tomic (AUS) H2H – Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi! Tomic, like Sock, keeps upending my picks.
Tennis Abides: Dan Martin on Tennis and Life 