A potentially tough second-round showdown on Tuesday in Madrid pits Milos Raonic against Fernando Verdasco. Stanislas Wawrinka will contest his first-rounder two days after triumphing in Oeiras when he battles Marius Copil.
(12) Milos Raonic vs. Fernando Verdasco
Raonic and Verdasco will be squaring off for the fifth time in their careers when they meet in round two of the Mutua Madrid Open on Tuesday. The head-to-head series is tied up at two wins apiece, but Verdasco has won both of their previous clay-court encounters. However, they have not faced each other since 2011 and Raonic (and Verdasco, for that matter) is a much different player now. The 22-year-old Canadian is up to No. 14 in the world and he is 18-6 for the season following a 7-5, 7-6(5) win over Nikolay Davydenko on Monday.
Verdasco kicked off his Madrid campaign on Sunday with a much-needed win. The 46th-ranked Spaniard, who is defending quarterfinal points, had been a mere 3-8 for the year (including 1-7 in his last eight matches) prior to taking care of Goffin 7-6(2), 6-2. Verdasco has some advantages in this one in that he is playing at home and on clay. Based on current form, though, Raonic should get the job done. But Madrid’s No. 12 seed will have to serve far better than he did against Davydenko.
Pick: Raonic in 3
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(WC) Marius Copil vs. (15) Stanislas Wawrinka
Wawrinka is back in action two days after capturing the fourth ATP title of his career in Oeiras, where he hammered David Ferrer 6-1, 6-4 in Sunday’s final. The 15th-ranked Swiss has won at least two matches at four consecutive tournaments, a stretch that also includes a fourth-round showing in Indian Wells and a quarterfinal finish in Monte-Carlo.
Up first for Wawrinka in Madrid is Copil, whom the No. 15 seed has never faced. Copil, ranked 136th in the world, obviously needed a wild card in order to get into the main draw. The Romanian owns two ATP-level victories this year (both in lower-level Davis Cup action), giving him nine for his career. Wawrinka may be fatigued, but this is a favorable draw and he should have no trouble advancing.
Pick: Wawrinka in 2
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