Stefanos Tsitsipas, who comes into Basel off the first title win of his career in Stockholm, will take on Frenchman Jeremy Chardy on Wednesday. Alexander Zverev, meanwhile, battles familiar foe Robin Haase in the opening round.
(4) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Jeremy Chardy
At the beginning of the 2018 season, Stefanos Tsitsipas was still playing part time on the Challenger circuit. He started the year ranked No. 91 in the world and found himself forced to qualify to gain entry into ATP tournaments. He’s now No. 16 and proudly boasts his first tournament win.
French veteran Jeremy Chardy has endured a rough second half of the year. He has not managed to win two consecutive matches since Queen’s Club in June. The world No. 41 does have a match win over Tsitsipas in 2018, but it was before Tsitsipas hit his stride on the pro tour. Chardy also owns a single tour title–a win in Stuttgart way back in 2009.
While Tsitsipas is probably tired from his title run in Stockholm, he should have enough left in the tank to dispatch an out-of-form Chardy–even on a surface that somewhat suits the Frenchman.
Cheryl pick: Tsitsipas in 2
Ricky pick: Tsitsipas in 2
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(2)Alexander Zverev vs. Robin Haase
Given the choice, Alexander Zverev would probably have chosen a different first-round opponent. Robin Haase defeated Zverev in the last two matches they played, including this year on the hard courts of Cincinnati. The last time Zverev got a win over the Dutchman was at the 2017 Australian Open.
Zverev made the semifinals a couple weeks ago at the Shanghai Masters, but he was dismantled at that point by Novak Djokovic. He will come into the Basel event with plenty of opportunity to rest.
Haase, ranked No. 47 in the world, is in positively dreadful form. The Dutchman lost to world No. 273 Yosuke Watanuki in the first round in Tokyo a few weeks ago and last week to Taylor Fritz in the first round. He has not, in fact, taken out any top player since he sent Zverev packing in Cincinnati.
Despite the fact that Zverev has had some difficulty with Haase recently, the underdog’s current form would suggest that the 2-2 record the two men share right now is soon to tip in Zverev’s favor.
Cheryl pick: Zverev in 3
Ricky pick: Zverev in 3
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AZ and Tsitsi, both in 3.
Um, I meant both in 2.
WWW?
Sitsipas in two,Zverev in three