R1 previews and picks: Haase vs. Coric, Karlovic vs. Rosol

Robin Haase and Borna Coric will help kick off the first day of main-draw action in Chennai. In Doha, meanwhile, Ivo Karlovic and Lukas Rosol are looking for a place in the second round.

Aircel Chennai Open: Borna Coric vs. Robin Haase

Haase and Coric will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they do battle in the Chennai first round on Monday night. Their only previous meeting came last season in Davis Cup World Group playoff action, with Haase using home-court advantage on clay in the Netherlands to prevail 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-4. The world No. 23, who slumped to an 18-23 record in 2014, is 6-4 lifetime at this event with two quarterfinal finishes.

Coric is hoping to maintain momentum in the first week of the new season after making a name for himself last year. The up-and-coming Croat earned his first seven ATP-level match victories in 2014, including one at the U.S. Open after qualifying and three en route to the Basel semis (he upset Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals). Coric’s steadfast demeanor on court and tactically-sound game may be able to frustrate Haase and lead to what would only be a minor upset.

Pick: Coric in 3

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Qatar ExxonMobil Open: Lukas Rosol vs. (7) Ivo Karlovic

There will be no secrets out there when Rosol and Karlovic square off for the third time in their careers on Monday in Doha. They just faced each other in the Basel first round, with Karlovic getting the job done 7-6(4), 6-3. That boosted his record to 2-0 in the head-to-head series, because the 6’11” Croat won their first clash 7-6(5), 7-6(7) at this same tournament four years ago. The strategies, of course, are similar: Karlovic will bomb serves left and right while Rosol will fire his deliveries with not quite as much power but at least with enough to play first-strike tennis on the ensuing shot.

Both big men enjoyed successful 2014 campaigns that have them in position to be seeded for the Australian Open. Karlovic compiled a 36-28 record and currently registers at 27th in the world, which gives him a shot at a top 24 seed Down Under. Rosol was an even 29-29, with a title in Winston-Salem and runner-up performances in Bucharest and Stuttgart. The 31st-ranked Czech, however, stumbled down the stretch with a 1-9 mark in his last 10 matches.

Pick: Karlovic in 2

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