Top-seeded Kei Nishikori will continue his Rotterdam campaign against Ernests Gulbis during second-round action on Thursday. Daniil Medvedev and Fernando Verdasco are also bidding for a spot in the quarterfinals.
(1) Kei Nishikori vs. (LL) Ernests Gulbis
Nishikori is without question playing some of the best tennis in the world right now. The world No. 7 from Japan is 9-1 this season with a title in Brisbane, a quarterfinal run at the Australian Open, and a first-round victory at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament over Pierre-Hugues Herbert on Tuesday. Nishikori started slow in his first indoor match of the year, but he overcame the Montpellier runner-up 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Up next for the top seed on Thursday in Rotterdam is a third career contest against Gulbis, who trails the head-to-head series 2-0. This marks their first hard-court encounter, as Nishikori prevailed 6-2, 6-4 on the red clay of Barcelona in 2014 and 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(10), 6-1 in last summer’s Wimbledon fourth round. Gulbis is already on his second life this week, having lost to Gilles Simon at the final qualifying stage before getting a lucky-loser spot in the main draw. The 84th-ranked Latvian promptly routed fellow lucky loser Marius Copil 6-2, 6-4. Nishikori will likely be a much tougher test and the favorite’s stellar return of serve should once again combat Gulbis’ primary strength.
Pick: Nishikori in 2
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(5) Daniil Medvedev vs. Fernando Verdasco
Medvedev and Verdasco will also be squaring off for the third time in their careers on Thursday. The head-to-head series is tied up at one win apiece, with Medvedev cruising 6-3, 6-3 on the indoor hard courts of Montpellier in 2017 before Verdasco got the job done 6-4, 6-1 on the grass of ‘s-Hertogenbosch last summer. Medvedev is the obvious favorite this time around, as he captured three titles in 2018 and has been one of the best players on tour this year. The 16th-ranked Russian is an awesome 12-2 with a runner-up performance in Brisbane and a triumph this past week in Sofia.
Prior to the fifth seed disposing of an in-form Jeremy Chardy in round one, Verdasco advanced in Rotterdam by beating Matthew Ebden 7-5, 6-4 on Tuesday. The Spaniard is still going strong at 35 years old, coming at at 26th in the world with a solid 6-3 record for his 2019 campaign. However, Medvedev is playing incredible tennis right now and his consistency–especially off the backhand side–will frustrate an opponent who is prone to mental collapses.
Pick: Medvedev in 2
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KNish in 2, Medvedev in 3
Gulbis in 3, Medvedev in 3
Kei in 3, he seems to have trouble winning the first set. Medvedev in 3, I don’t think Verdasco will go down quietly.
oops!
Medvedev is able to get so many balls back, it’s no wonder even Fed and Djoko were having problems with him before beating him.
I think he’ll beat Verdasco in straight sets here.
I think I’ve to revise my predictions for YE TOP eight for the WTF. I don’t think Khachanov is going to make it, maybe it’s Medvedev in the TOP eight instead of him.
Medvedev seems to have improved his fitness, is able to stay in the point for so long even against the fittest men in the tour ie Djoko; I think he, together with Tsitsipas and Sasha Zverev will be the leading slam winners for the next gen.
Nishi should win his match against Gulbis, maybe in three sets.