An all-American clash between Steve Johnson and Donald Young is set for Tuesday in Houston. In other first-round action, Janko Tipsarevic is beginning his comeback against Guilherme Clezar.
Donald Young vs. Steve Johnson
If it had been played in February, Young vs. Johnson could have been a virtual playoff for the United States’ second Davis Cup singles spot. Now it is merely an intriguing first-round battle on Tuesday at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. Including Challengers, the head-to-head series stands at 1-1. Johnson earned his first-ever victory at the ATP level by beating Young 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at the 2012 BB&T Atlanta Open. Their next meeting, also on a hard court, came at the 2013 Aptos Challenger with Young prevailing 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(3).
It was Young who ended up getting the nod for Davis Cup thanks to an outstanding run earlier this season. The world No. 45 reached the Memphis semifinals and finished runner-up to Ivo Karlovic in Delray Beach. Young, who is 14-8 in 2015, ousted a red-hot Bernard Tomic at both events. Johnson has advanced out of the opening round in seven of eight tournaments this year, a streak that recently ended in Miami. Both men prefer hard courts, but clay may give a slight advantage to Young simply because Johnson’s serve and forehand are unlikely to do as much damage as they otherwise would on a fast surface.
Pick: Young in 3
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(WC) Janko Tipsarevic vs. (Q) Guilherme Clezar
Tipsarevic will be playing his first singles match since a retirement on the indoor hard courts of Valencia in October 2013. The former world No. 8 underwent foot surgery last spring and finally returned last month in Miami, where he teamed up in doubles with fellow Serb Novak Djokovic. Tipsarevic looked rusty–understandably–but moved well and came up with the occasional great shot in a 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 loss to Jurgen Melzer and Robert Lindstedt.
Up first for Tipsarevic in Houston is Clezar, a 22-year-old Brazilian who has never won a match at the ATP level (0-7 lifetime). That does not mean he can be discounted. Clezar’s last seven events have come on clay and he reached the Santiago Challenger final last month. He has already come through Houston qualifying, as well, with wins over Sekou Bangoura, Facundo Bagnis, and Somdev Devvarman. The world No. 186 is match-tough right now and the surface is obviously in his favor.
Pick: Clezar in 2
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I agree with Young over Johnson in three sets.
I will go with Clezar over Tipsy only because he is just returning to singles action since his foot surgery.