First-round action in Madrid will continue on Monday, when Nick Kyrgios kicks off his clay-court swing against Marcos Baghdatis. Grigor Dimitrov and Philipp Kohlschreiber are also on the schedule.
(16) Nick Kyrgios vs. Marcos Baghdatis
Kyrgios and Baghdatis will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they clash in round one of the Mutua Madrid Open on Monday. Their only previous encounter came last season at the Miami Masters, where Kyrgios cruised 6-2, 6-1. The 22-year-old Australian is playing his first clay-court match of 2017 after withdrawing from this past week’s tournament in Estoril due to the death of his grandfather. Kyrgios is 16-4 in 2017 and made an impressive run at back-to-back Masters events in Indian Wells (quarterfinals) and Miami (semis).
Baghdatis is a modest 4-5 at the ATP level this year and has been in disastrous form since missing February and March due to injury. The 60th-ranked Cypriot lost a five-set Davis Cup rubber to 799th-ranked Tunisian Moez Echargui before falling to Soon Woo Kwon in the Santaizi Challenger first round. Baghdatis also played in Istanbul and lost right away via a 7-5, 6-4 decision against Viktor Troicki. Kyrgios, who likely benefited from getting a doubles match under his belt on Sunday (a win with Jack Sock), should be more than capable of extending Baghdatis’ woes.
Pick: Kyrgios in 2
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(12) Grigor Dimitrov vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber
Dimitrov hit a low point in his career right around this point last season, and now his early 2017 momentum is being sapped at the same moment. The 13th-ranked Bulgarian started the season 16-1 with two titles, but he is a mere 1-4 in his last five matches dating back to the Rotterdam quarterfinals in February.
Up first for Dimitrov on Monday is Kohlschreiber, whom he has surprisingly never faced. The 33-year-old German bageled Rafael Nadal in Miami but he ended up losing that match and has nothing else of note to show for his 2017 campaign. In fact, Kohlschreiber’s meager 14-10 record has him down at No. 39 in the world and in serious danger of missing out on a seed at the French Open and Wimbledon. This should be a good opportunity for Dimitrov to start getting back on track.
Pick: Dimitrov in 3
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who ya got?
Kyrgios in 2
Dimitrov in 3
I think dimitriov will be disapointed with hes last 2 matches on clay and will come out with a lot more pateience and be a lot more determined , dimitriov in 3.
Kyrgios hasnt played any clay but that wont worry him, He should win pretty comfortably in 2
Kohlschreiber in 3 and Kyrgios in 2
Dimi won the TB Ten exhibition at Madrid. I think he will play well on Madrid fast clay.
Kygrios hasn’t played on clay yet this season, I’m not sure he can have it easy in his R1 or R2 matches, probably needs three sets in at least one of them to win.
Wasn’t aware he won tie break tens. Still think kohl can get it done although I would like to see Dimitrov win this match and make a run here.
Dimi beat Kohl in straight sets!
I think playing and winning TB Ten exho does help Dimi, giving him chances to get used to the court here and having some confidence in his own game.
getting to play Kohlschreiber also helps
Nick in 2 losing 5-7 games.
I picked Kohls over Dimi after debating with myself. Dimi hasn’t been impressive lately. The conditions in Madrid should suit him, but in the end I went with Kohls. We will have to see how it plays out.
As for Kyrgios, I think he will win in 2 sets.
Love love love seeing Kyrgios – have missed him! But he’s getting a MTO for a hip problem that is causing him movement problems.
I think he’ll make it through this Baghdatis match…but I worry about him and injury issues.
seems fine for now
His serve is certainly great.
Hoping that he’s just being temperamental.
😉
His posture is always bad poor guy.
I go tempuramental anytime I’m eating sushi.
LOL
🙂 hawkie.
I wondered if anyone else noticed that bad posture when Kyrgios is serving. I know that he has had back problems. But the last few times I saw him it really stood out. As someone who lives with chronic back problems, it struck me how much strain he is putting on his back.
I wonder if it also affects his hip. It sounds line he’s not in great shape right now. He may join the likes of Raonic and Kei being very injury prone.
I definitely noticed it, NNY. Although it apparently isn’t having much of a negative effect on his serving- he hit 14 aces and won 81% of his service points!
Kevin,
Yes, that is what I marvel at! There is no question that Kyrgios is killing it with that serve!
Those stats don’t lie! Thanks for mentioning them! Says it all!
?
True fact: I once met a guy who claimed, I believe correctly, to be the United States pun champion. Apparently there are competitions for such things. His friend said to me: go ahead, say any word. Upon which I did, and the guy would instantly pun on the word. I was amazed and have never encountered anything like it.
I think you would have liked meeting that guy.
Maybe hawkeye should join that competition. I am sure he will do well.
‘Tis a guilty pleasure.
#Hawkward
Happy that Genie got a win over Maria!!
Maybe Genie can get back to winning like it’s 2014.
Oh snap rc! ??????
I’m banned on TX AGAIN!!!!!!!
How many times???????
What? Lol…I haven’t read TX in weeks! I’ll go have a look.
Yeah. You won’t see me there though.
I’M BANNED!!!!!
#????
Hawks- I actually did hear about Tennis-X’s unconstitutional ban of 7 majority-Rafan websites, including the Grandstand! Tennis-X claims that the ban is not targeting Rafans, but that those majority-Rafan websites just happen to pose the biggest threat to the national security of the majority-Fedfan Tennis-X website. New polls show Tennis-X as currently having the lowest approval rating of any tennis website in the history of tennis websites….