An intriguing battle between up-and-comers Pablo Carreno Busta and Borna Coric is part of Auckland’s schedule on Tuesday. Yen-Hsun Lu and Juan Monaco are also in action.
(WC) Borna Coric vs. Pablo Carreno Busta
Coric and Carreno Busta will be squaring off for the first time in their careers when they collide in round one of the Heineken Open on Tuesday. Looking to maintain momentum after surging into ATP prominence this past summer and fall, Coric got off to a solid start last week in Chennai. The 90th-ranked Croat thrashed Robin Haase in his opener before bowing out to eventual champion Stan Wawrinka 6-1, 6-4.
Carreno Busta, five years his opponent’s senior at 23, also advanced one round in Chennai by taking care of Alejandro Gonzalez 6-1, 6-3 before succumbing to Yen-Hsun Lu 6-4, 6-4. The 49th-ranked Spaniard reached the U.S. Open third round last summer and wrapped up 2014 with a quarterfinal showing in Valencia, but he has done by far his best work on clay and most of that has come in Challengers.
Pick: Coric in 3
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Juan Monaco vs. (9) Yen-Hsun Lu
Despite 27 combined years of experience in professional tennis, the head-to-head history between Lu and Monaco is not an extensive one–and that’s an understatement. Their only previous meeting ended in a Lu retirement down 5-0 in the first set at the 2012 Miami Masters. They were also supposed to face each other 10 seasons ago in Ho Chi Minh City, but Lu handed his opponent a walkover.
Lu has never been a particularly durable performer, but he should be good to go for this one. Chinese Taipei’s top player is coming off a productive week in Chennai, where he reached the quarterfinals and captured the doubles title with Jonathan Marray. Monaco also began his 2015 campaign with a doubles triumph, as he teamed up with Rafael Nadal to prevail in Doha. The 30-year-old Argentine, however, dropped his singles opener to Blaz Kavcic and is still struggling down at 59th in the rankings. Monaco may have the edge in this matchup on clay, but not right now on a hard court.
Pick: Lu in 3
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Coric was HORRIBLE vs PCB. Rafa should never have bothered playing if he couldn’t beat that guy. Would have been better off fishing in Mallorca resting his appendix for sure, no?
I’ll pick Coric and Monaco…can’t wait to see Melbourne draw!
i’m guessing Coric will not win the tournament
Coric, another over-hyped youngster. Over-hyped by……………himself.
Wow, the Bryans were defeated by Begemann/Haase. 3 sets.
only because of Kader Nouni