Houston R2 previews and predictions: Verdasco vs. Baghdatis, Young vs. Smyczek

Marcos Baghdatis is coming off a double-bagel as he heads into an intriguing showdown against Fernando Verdasco on Thursday in Houston. Second-round action also features Americans Donald Young and Tim Smyczek.

Fernando Verdasco vs. (7) Marcos Baghdatis

Verdasco and Baghdatis will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they battle for a quarterfinal spot at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship on Thursday. Baghdatis has won both of their previous encounters; 7-6(3), 6-4 at the 2010 Washington, D.C. event and 7-5, 6-1 last fall in Tokyo. This will mark the first meeting between the two veterans on clay.

The slow stuff did not figure to favor Baghdatis in his first-rounder against Diego Schwartzman on Tuesday, but the 39th-ranked Cypriot laughed in the face of that notion and double-bageled Schwartzman 6-0, 6-0. Baghdatis is now 9-5 on the season with a runner-up performance in Dubai. Verdasco advanced to the Houston second round by beating Carlos Berlocq 6-4, 6-3. The 77th-ranked Spaniard is slowly building some momentum, coming off consecutive third-round showings in Indian Wells and Miami. Clay should help Verdasco maintain his relative hot streak and turn the tide against his fellow veteran.

Pick: Verdasco in 3

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Donald Young vs. (WC) Tim Smyczek

It will be an all-American affair when Young and Smyczek square off for an incredible 15th time in their careers on Thursday. Interestingly, they have met an unbelievable 13 times in Futures, Challengers, or ATP qualifying. This marks just their second-ever showdown at the ATP main-draw level. Their previous such encounter came earlier this season on the hard courts of Delray Beach, where Smyczek prevailed 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-2. Young leads the overall head-to-head series 8-6, and all 14 of their previous meetings have come on hard courts.

Smyczek made the most of his wild card on Tuesday–but just barely. The 125th-ranked American overcame Argentine qualifier Nicolas Kicker 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 during first-round action on Tuesday. Smyczek is coming off a stellar run in Miami, where he reached the third round as a qualifier before succumbing to eventual semifinalist Nick Kyrgios. Young is in desperate need of a strong result, having trudged through March with immediate losses in Indian Wells and Miami (both to Andreas Seppi) and an opening setback at the Irving Challenger against Dmitry Tursunov. With a clear edge in current form, Smyczek should continue to go full steam ahead.

Pick: Smyczek in 3

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