Stanislas Wawrinka will kick off his Monte-Carlo campaign when he takes the court against an in-form Marin Cilic on Wednesday. Fabio Fognini and Roberto Bautista Agut are also looking for a spot in the third round.
(3) Stanislas Wawrinka vs. Marin Cilic
Wawrinka and Cilic will be facing each other for the eighth time in their careers and for the first time in more than three years when they collide in round two of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Monday. The head-to-head series stands at 5-2 in Wawrinka’s favor thanks to a 3-0 record for the Swiss on clay.
Both players are showing great form in 2014; Wawrinka is 16-3 and Cilic improved to 23-6 by defeating lucky loser Marinko Matosevic 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 on Tuesday. Wawrinka, the Australian Open champion, has cooled off just a bit with fourth-round exits in Indian Wells and Miami followed by a 1-1 record in Davis Cup action against Kazakhstan. Cilic has already been to three finals in 2014, with titles in Zagreb and Delray Beach. The Croat is mediocre on clay and his win over Matosevic was more difficult than expected. Meanwhile, Wawrinka’s triumph in Melbourne should not cloud the fact that he had previously achieved some of his best results on clay.
Pick: Wawrinka in 3
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Roberto Bautista Agut vs. (10) Fabio Fognini
Bautista Agut and Fognini will be squaring off for the fifth time in their careers at the ATP main-draw level when they do battle on Wednesday. Fognini leads the head-to-head series 3-1 after recently scoring a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory in the Miami third round. They have met once on clay, with Fognini–completely on fire at the time–dominating a semifinal encounter 6-1, 6-3 last season in Stuttgart.
The Italian is continuing to play stellar tennis, with a 22-6 record in 2014 to his credit. He came back from the brink of defeat on Monday in Monte-Carlo to beat Joao Sousa 5-7, 7-5, 6-4. Bautista Agut opened with a 6-2, 6-2 rout of a slumping Vasek Pospisil. The 45th-ranked Spaniard is a solid 14-9 for the year. Fognini’s big effort–especially by his standards–against Sousa won’t help, but he at least has a day off in between. Although Bautista Agut is strong on clay, he just lost to Fognini on a hard court–which is a surface that would give him a better chance against the world No. 13.
Pick: Fognini in 3
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I will go with Wawa over Cilic in three sets. I know that Cilic is playing well now, but he has not been strong on the clay. If Cilic does bring it, then it could be interesting. But I think Wawa will have gotten some confidence from that DC win and has been strong in the past on clay.
I will go with Fog over RBA in three sets. I think that Fog needs to get a better start against RBA than he did against Sousa. I knew the result when I watched the replay of that match, but still found myself wondering how on earth Fog pulled it out when he was two points from losing. He got lucky against Sousa who shouldn’t have been that much trouble. As long as he plays like he did in DC with his normally great clay game, then he should get the win.
#AgreeToAgree
Watching Fognini is akin to watching a tightrope walker 100m high with no safety net.
^^^^
Too true! You never know which Fognini is going to show up! It was like a switch flipped in that match with Sousa and suddenly he remembered that he was on clay!
Really like RBA, great variety and speed round the court. Shall be following his career with interest 🙂
Also, as long as Foggy isn’t playing Andy, like him too. So languidly he strolls round the court….”shall i hit an amazing, flippy, angled wristy backhand…..or shall I have a wee pouty strop instead.” Wonderful to watch!
But come on RBA, make some waves!
^^^^you’ve nailed him beautifully – he is a law unto himself.
I’m reminded of the G.K.Chesterto poem ‘Ballad of a Suicide’
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-ballade-of-suicide-2/
I’m riveted by his coach’s inscrutable face when Fog embarks on one of his tirades (bit like Lendl watching Andy). Clearly he has given up on trying to get Fog to modify his behaviour.
Lol ed., that would be like asking a Cheshire cat to stop smiling 😉
Goodness, when Foggy’s on he’s capable of some lush tennis. Can he play, or can he play? Could easily cause havoc in the CC season. Seeded 10 here, yikes! Lol one of the players called him a “spoiled ballerina.” Yep!
@ed
Am watching tennistv. The commentators, British but dunno who, are brilliant aren’t they? proper analysis of the technicalities of CC tennis.
^^^^^Absolutely. Not sure who they are. One of them might be Nick Lester.
Classic case of less being more………….none of that idiotic back chat between the two of them.
Talk about feast or famine tennis – goodness knows how Fognini got away with that 1st set. RBA trying to rile Fog backfired.
“RBA trying to rile Fog backfired.”
I wonder where he got that from? Can’t be from that nice Latvian fella………………..
The cameras zoomed in on a gentle-looking elderly couple and for a moment I thought they were copying that horrid North American “kiss cam” fad…………thank goodness that was not the case.
Glad I’m not alone in finding that ritual cringe-making.
The Fog through…………..
Just saw Fog on TC…he looked unusually calm and composed…and won!…weather a bit chilly in MC!
Cilic is a donkey, no?