Coming off his first title of the season, Juan Martin Del Potro will contest his Basel opener against Robin Haase on Wednesday. Fellow Spaniards Pablo Carreno Busta and Fernando Verdasco are also in action.
(WC) Juan Martin Del Potro vs. (Q) Robin Haase
Del Potro’s 2016 comeback just keeps getting better and better. Even prior to last week, it already included a silver medal at the Rio Olympics and a quarterfinal run at the U.S. Open in addition to Argentina’s upcoming appearance in the Davis Cup final. Then Del Potro’s first title of the season arrived, as the 27-year-old destroyed everything in his path at the If Stockholm Open. He is now 28-11 for the 2016 campaign and up to No. 42 in the world.
First-round action at the Swiss Indoors Basel will conclude on Wednesday with a second career contest between Del Potro and Haase. Their only previous encounter came four years ago at Wimbledon, where the Argentine prevailed 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(3), 7-5. It has already been a relatively productive stay in Basel for Haase, who qualified for the main draw by defeating Pablo Andujar and Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets. The 64th-ranked Dutchman went back to the Challenger circuit following the U.S. Open and reached three straight finals (one title, two runner-ups) before advancing one round last week in Antwerp. Two days of rest in between Stockholm and Basel should be of great benefit to Del Potro, who will likely take care of Haase without too much trouble.
Pick: Del Potro in 2
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Fernando Verdasco vs. Pablo Carreno Busta
Like Del Potro, Carreno Busta is fresh off a title as he heads into his second to last week of the year. But the Spaniard’s triumph at the Kremlin Cup was not his first in 2016; a breakout season has also been highlighted by a title at the Winston-Salem Open and all four of Carreno Busta’s career final appearances have come in the last eight months. He also finished runner-up at clay-court events in Sao Paulo and Estoril. Carreno Busta has soared to a career-high ranking of No. 32 in the world and is therefor in position–albeit barely–for seeding at the 2017 Australian Open.
Up first for him on Wednesday in Basel is a third career showdown against Verdasco. The head-to-head series between the two countrymen is all tied up at one win apiece; Verdasco won 7-5, 6-3 in the 2014 Bastad quarterfinals before Carreno Busta cruised 6-1, 6-3 this spring in Estoril (both on clay). Verdasco is a modest 28-24 this season, including a horrific 1-6 in his last seven matches dating back to Winston-Salem. He suffered a terrible 6-2, 6-1 loss to 18-year-old Mikael Ymer last week in Stockholm. Verdasco appears to have thrown in the towel this year, so Carreno Busta should roll.
Pick: Carreno Busta in 3
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PCB and Del Po in two
Del Po should win this one, but I doubt he cares to much about this tourney going forward
PCB in two
Delpo in two but not that easy, I would say something like 7-5,6-4