Dubai R2 previews and picks: Federer vs. Verdasco, Baghdatis vs. Coric

Roger Federer will continue his Dubai campaign on Wednesday against Fernando Verdasco. Marcos Baghdatis and Borna Coric are also aiming for a place in the quarterfinals.

Fernando Verdasco vs. (2) Roger Federer

Federer and Verdasco will be going head-to-head for the sixth time in their careers when they collide in round two of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday. All five of their previous encounters have gone Federer’s way. The Swiss has prevailed three times on hard courts, including when they most recently squared off at the 2012 U.S. Open via a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 decision. Federer is 11-1 in total sets against Verdasco and he required a tiebreaker in only one of those.

A six-time champion in Dubai with a 43-5 lifetime record at the tournament, Federer cruised through his opener by beating Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-1. The world No. 2 is now 7-1 for the season with a title in Brisbane. Verdasco joined Federer in the last 16 on Tuesday thanks to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. The 31st-ranked Spaniard owns seven match wins in 2015 and has now advanced out of the first round in all five of his events. Despite being in decent form, Verdasco has well-document problems against Federer and it will be hard to turn the tide at one of the 17-time major champion’s favorite destinations.

Pick: Federer in 2

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(WC) Marcos Baghdatis vs. (LL) Borna Coric

It will be a first-ever showdown between two players who are at very different points in their careers but who are both surging up the rankings when Baghdatis and Coric collide on Wednesday. A rejuvenated Baghdatis spent much of 2014 outside the top 100, but he broke back into the top 60 earlier this month and currently registers at 62nd. A third-round finisher at the Australian Open and semifinalist in Zagreb, the 29-year-old Cypriot opened in Dubai with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over David Goffin.

Although Coric suffered a disappointing third-set tiebreaker loss to Fabrice Martin in qualifying, he got a lucky-loser spot in the main draw and made the most of it by overcoming Malek Jaziri 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday. The 18-year-old Croat really started to make a name for himself last season and is up to a best-ever ranking of 84th in the world. Unfortunately for Coric, Baghdatis is playing with renewed confidence and his flat ball-striking from the back of the court is likely to keep the youngster on his heels.

Pick: Baghdatis in 3

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