Davis Cup previews and predictions: Rosol vs. Kohlschreiber, Berdych vs. Zverev

An intriguing first-round Davis Cup tie between the Czech Republic and host Germany will begin on Friday in Hannover. Lukas Rosol and Tomas Berdych are getting the singles nod for the visitors, while the Germans are countering with Philipp Kohlschreiber and Alexander Zverev.

Lukas Rosol (CZE) vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)

Rosol and Kohlschreiber will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers when they contest the opening singles rubber of a first-round Davis Cup tie between the Czech Republic and Germany on the indoor hard courts of Hannover on Friday. Kohlschreiber is leading the head-to-head series 4-1, including 1-0 on hards. Their first-ever meeting came two days after Rosol famously upset Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2012, but Kohlschreiber had no trouble ending the Czech’s run with a 6-2, 6-3, 7-6(6) victory. Rosol’s lone defeat of the German came on the grass courts of Stuttgart in 2014. The two veteran’s most recently faced each other at last summer’s U.S. Open, where Kohlschreiber cruised 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-2.

Kohlschreiber endured a slow start to this season but has heated up to position himself for seeding in Indian Wells and Miami. The world No. 30 has reached at least the quarterfinals of three consecutive tournaments, highlighted by a semifinal performance in Rotterdam and a recent quarterfinal showing in Dubai. Rosol is a decent 7-6 for his 2016 campaign but has not won back-to-back matches since the Australian Open. The world No. 50 will be at a disadvantage playing in Germany on a rebound-ace surface that Kohlschreiber called “pretty slow.” Rosol may serve his way to a set, but an upset on the road against an in-form opponent is unlikely.

Pick: Kohlschreiber in 4

[polldaddy poll=9332239]

Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. Alexander Zverev (GER)

Berdych and Zverev will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers and for the second time this season when they meet again in this tie’s second singles rubber. Both of their previous encounters have gone the way of Berdych; 6-3, 6-4 last fall in Stockholm and 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 last month in Marseille. This will be their third consecutive indoor hard-court showdown. The seventh-ranked Czech parlayed his Stockholm win over Zverev into a title, but he could not do the same in Marseille because a red-hot Nick Kyrgios took him out in the semifinals. Berdych lost to Kyrgios again in the Dubai semis.

Zverev has been one of the breakout stars of 2016, although he also set the stage for such a season by soaring into the top 100 in 2015. The 18-year-old is up to No. 57 in the world thanks in part to a semifinal finish in Montpellier and a quarterfinal run in Rotterdam. Zverev should be well-rested heading into Davis Cup duty, as he has not played since falling to Berdych in Marseille. This is the youngster’s first-ever Davis Cup appearance, whereas Berdych is 28-14 lifetime in singles, 20-2 in doubles, and is a two-time champion. That kind of experience should be a major factor in what is almost certain to be a competitive and high-quality contest.

Pick: Berdych in 5

[polldaddy poll=9332236]