And here we go … on the 2016 tennis season

Predicted Winners in BOLD

Qatar – I’ll put the event with the world #1 playing first

[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. [Q] Dustin Brown (GER)  – Dreddy vs. Nole is a fun match, but Novak’s returns and passes make this less than ideal for Dustin.

[5] Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs. Daniel Muñoz de la Nava (ESP) H2H – Una guerra civil?

Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) vs. [WC] Marsel Ilhan (TUR) H2H – This is perhaps a bigger geopolitical conflict than tennis conflict.

[7] Jérémy Chardy (FRA) vs. [WC] Mubarak Shannan Zayid (QAT) H2H – Chardy ended 2015 reasonably well.

Martin Klizan (SVK) vs. [Q] Kyle Edmund (GBR) – The Davis Cup momentum may help Edmund, but I think Klizan is a pretty safe pick.

Marco Cecchinato (ITA) vs. Damir Dzumhur (BIH) H2H

Robin Haase (NED) vs. [Q] Aslan Karatsev (RUS)

Brisbane, Australia

Gilles Simon (FRA) vs. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) H2H – This match is a great way for me to start the year.  A cagey veteran versus a promising younger player coming off of a disappointing 2015.  I think Dimitrov will have at least a slightly better 2016, but it will not start in Brisbane as Simon finds a way to play his sort of match and win.

Sam Groth(AUS) vs. Hyeon Chung (KOR)  H2H  – A home court edge will help the Aussie power broker.

[WC] Benjamin Mitchell (AUS) vs. [Q] Tobias Kamke (GER) H2H – When in doubt pick the player whose name you know.

Denis Kudla (USA) vs. [WC] John-Patrick Smith (AUS) H2H – Kudla is a tough out.

 

Chennai, India

Nicolas Almagro (ESP) vs. [Q] Ante Pavic (CRO) H2H – Spain over Croatia twice?

[8] Borna Coric (CRO) vs. Marcel Granollers (ESP) H2H – I don’t even see this as an upset.

John Millman (AUS) vs. Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) H2H – This is a 50-50 match.