Predicted Winners in BOLD

This is a great slate of 1st round matches

[10] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs Jerzy Janowicz (POL) H2H – Grigor, “I will never be a journeyman as I reached a Wimbledon semifinal.” Jerzy, “Are you sure?” I think Grigor is playing well enough to be relevant in the top levels of tennis, but he needs a big win to get back some of his upward trajectory. Jerzy needs to get his footing and edge back.  I expect Grigor gets a decent win and moves forward.

Dominic Thiem (AUT) vs Simone Bolelli (ITA) H2H – Thiem is one to watch, but I think Bolelli wins on home soil.

In 2015, Fognini has been quite good vs. Rafa on clay, but against everyone else he has been mortal

Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs Steve Johnson (USA) H2H – Steve is capable of winning this.  However, the surface favors Fabio.

Sock can win on chocolate colored clay courts, can he win on European red clay?

[12] Gilles Simon (FRA) vs Jack Sock (USA) H2H – I am going out on a limb here, but Sock pushed Tsonga last week and won Houston.  This is a big deal for me as I love Simon’s disengaged tenacity (?). If I think about it too much, I will feel like Simon’s speed and consistency win the day.

[16] John Isner (USA) vs Joao Sousa (POR) H2H – Isner as a clay court specialist?

Richard Gasquet (FRA) vs [Q] Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) H2H – Does Gasquet’s win in Estoril help him?

Juan Monaco (ARG) vs [Q] Dusan Lajovic (SRB) H2H

Pablo Cuevas (URU) vs [WC] Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) H2H

Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) vs Donald Young (USA) H2H – Murray is playing quite well on dirt, but that means Kohlschreiber is also playing quite well on clay.

Adrian Mannarino (FRA) vs [Q] Marsel Ilhan (TUR) H2H – He should be match tough.