As the draw starts to take its shape at the 2019 ATP Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, a few notable scalps were claimed in the opening round, as Marin Cilic and Karen Khachanov both exited the tournament. Roger Federer and Gael Monfils will headline a busy schedule on Wednesday.
ATP Dubai 2019 Day 3 Predictions
Roger Federer vs Fernando Verdasco
Head-to-head: Federer 6-0 Verdasco
Last meeting: 2015 Dubai (Federer won 6-4 6-3)
Roger Federer safely moved past Philipp Kohlschreiber in his first outing since the Australian Open. However, worryingly for the Swiss, he was very erratic and seemed to come second best in majority of the rallies, especially in the second set. Sometimes we forget he is 37 and perhaps we should not expect from him to go running around chasing every ball.
Federer will face Fernando Verdasco in the second round. The Spaniard, like Federer, is at the twilight of his career. His struggles were also evident in a three set win over Thomas Fabbiano. Historically, the man from Madrid has not enjoyed this match-up losing in all six meetings against Federer. For Verdasco’s case, he is usually unable to deploy Nadal’s brilliant strategy of playing the cross court forehand to Federer’s backhand. Verdasco struggles with Federer’s sliced backhand which can be such an awkward shot to deal with. Federer is not playing at the level he feels is good enough to win the title. But he needs to win matches and we should see a strong performance from the Maestro.
Prediction: Federer in 2
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Nikoloz Basilashvili
Head-to-head: Bautista Agut 2-0 Basilashvili
Last meeting: 2017 Monte Carlo Masters (Bautista Agut won 1-6 6-3 7-5)
Nikoloz Basilashvili is such an underrated player. In the space of a year, he rose from No.59 to be ranked inside the top 20, and he won two ATP 500 titles. His biggest problem is his fitness and consistency. That cannot be said of Roberto Bautista Agut, who has made a career beating those below him in the rankings. This will be a big test for the defending champion. Bautista Agut is a counter puncher and would often rely on his opponents’ mistakes.
Basilashvili was clinical in his match against Khachanov, which quite honestly, I did not see coming. The Georgian will need that aggressive attitude to trouble the Spaniard, and I reckon he will claim his second successive scalp.
Prediction: Basilashvili in 2
Gael Monfils vs Marcos Baghdatis
Head-to-head: Monfils 3-1 Baghdatis
Last meeting: 2016 US Open (Monfils won 6-3 6-2 6-3)
Gael Monfils will fancy his chances of winning his second ATP 500 title of the year. He is playing with such authority from the back of the court, and case in point was the final set demolition in his match against Marin Cilic.
Marcos Baghdatis almost made a melee of his match against Mohamed Safwat before edging it out in three sets. This will be completely different challenge for the Cypriot which he will not pass.
Prediction: Monfils in 2
Jan-Lennard Struff vs Marton Fucsovics
Head-to-head: First meeting
Both these two players have nothing to lose, and with a potential quarterfinal match against Federer we should expect some lightning tennis. Jan-Lennard Struff produced a serving masterclass in his terrific win over Milos Raonic in the first round. Marton Fucsovics will definitely pose more questions than the Canadian on the serve of Struff. So we could see the German lose his serve on more than one occasion, something that Raonic failed at. Struff won their only meeting in a challenger event in 2014. They are yet to meet on tour level events. Fucsovics is the more accomplished player of the two, but Struff does have the big serve in his arsenal which could once again be the be difference here.
Prediction: Struff in 3
Kei Nishikori vs Hubert Hurkacz
Head-to-head: First meeting
Kei Nishikori is living to the mantle of top seed this week. In what could have been a challenging proposition against Benoit Paire, he made light work out of the Frenchman. His next assignment will be the dynamic young Pole Hubert Hurkacz, who is a serving machine. Since this is a first meeting between the pair, the 22-year-old will have to deal with many return balls from one of the best returner on tour. Expect Nishikori to continue his recent good form.
Prediciton: Nishikori in 2
Denis Kudla vs Ricardas Berankis
Head-to-head: First meeting
Ricardas Berankis stunned Daniil Medvedev in his first round match in straight sets and will be brimming with confidence as he attempts to reach his first quarterfinals of an ATP tour event since last November. The Lithuanian has had some eye catching results this year. He beat David Goffin in Qatar at the start of 2019 and won a Challenger event in Rennes shortly after the Australian Open. Denis Kudla starts as an underdog and rightly so, but he will also be in high spirits after a brave fightback against Matteo Berretini. Berankis is one of those players who would follow one big result with a below par performance next. I suspect the pattern could repeat itself and the American will edge this one.
Prediction: Kudla in 3
