Metz R1 previews and picks: Verdasco vs. Zverev, Pospisil vs. Nedovyesov

Fernando Verdasco will kick off his Metz campaign with a tough matchup against Alexander Zverev on Tuesday. Vasek Pospisil and Aleksandr Nedovyesov are also in first-round action.

(8) Fernando Verdasco vs. Alexander Zverev

Verdasco and Zverev will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they contest an intriguing first-rounder on Tuesday in Metz. Although Zverev is an underdog on paper based on respective ranking, he has to like his chances in terms of current form and confidence. The 18-year-old German’s summer included a quarterfinal performance in Washington, D.C. and successful qualification at both the Cincinnati Masters and the U.S. Open.

Meanwhile, Verdasco was unseeded in New York and could be in line for the same status at the 2016 Australian Open if he does not see an uptick in results this fall. The 43rd-ranked Spaniard has won more than a single match at a tournament just once since Madrid in early May and on no occasions since Wimbledon. An indoor hard court should not favor either player to a great extent–although it is arguably more advantageous to Zverev than, for example, clay. Look for the youngster to keep his hot streak going by pulling off a slight upset.

Pick: Zverev in 3

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Aleksandr Nedovyesov vs. Vasek Pospisil

Pospisil and Nedovyesov will also be facing each other for the first time in their careers on Tuesday. The summer was an up and down one for Pospisil, highlighted by a quarterfinal run at Wimbledon that included a trio of five-set victories. The 46th-ranked Canadian did not do much on hard courts aside from a decent second-round showing in Cincinnati as a qualifier.

Nedovyesov is struggling down at No. 114 in the world and his name has hardly been heard on the ATP scene this season aside from Davis Cup action. In fact, he has not yet won an ATP tournament match in 2015. The Kazakh’s best victories have come in team competition against Italy’s Fabio Fognini and Australian Nick Kyrgios, but Nedovyesov ended up losing the fifth rubber of a quarterfinal tie against the Aussies to Lleyton Hewitt. He is currently on a five-match losing streak dating back to mid-July. Mainly thanks to his opponent’s woes, this should be one-way traffic for Pospisil.

Pick: Pospisil in 2

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