Miami R1 previews and predictions: Del Potro vs. Pella, Verdasco vs. Muller

Juan Martin Del Potro will kick off his Miami campaign against fellow Argentine Guido Pella on Wednesday, with a chance to face Roger Federer in round two. Fernando Verdasco and Gilles Muller are also in action.

(PR) Juan Martin Del Potro vs. Guido Pella

Del Potro will be competing in his third tournament of the season when he takes the court at the Miami Open on Wednesday. Early returns in the 27-year-old Argentine’s latest comeback have been predictably unspectacular but also encouraging. After missing all of 2015 following this Miami event due to another left-wrist surgery, Del Potro returned last month in Delray Beach. He picked up wins over Denis Kudla, John-Patrick Smith, and Jeremy Chardy all in straight sets before succumbing to Sam Querrey in the semifinals. At the Indian Wells Masters, Del Potro made quick work of Tim Smyczek and then lost to Tomas Berdych 7-6(4), 6-2.

Up first for the 2009 U.S. Open champion is a showdown against Pella. Also hailing from Argentina, the world No. 39 is playing by far the best tennis of his career right now. Last month on the clay courts of Rio de Janeiro he finished runner-up to Pablo Cuevas, beating John Isner and Dominic Thiem in the process. Pella then won a singles rubber in his country’s Davis Cup first-round win at Poland and he reached the Indian Wells third round before bowing out at the hands of eventual semifinalist David Goffin. The 25-year-old will have to play aggressive in an effort to find Del Potro’s backhand, but that is easier said than done against an opponent who can dictate play without much trouble thanks to his serve and forehand.

Pick: Del Potro in 3

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Fernando Verdasco vs. Gilles Muller

It will be an all-lefty affair when Verdasco and Muller square off for the fourth time in their careers on Wednesday. Verdasco leads the head-to-head series 2-1, but the two veterans most recently faced each other last fall in Metz and Muller got the job done 7-6(3), 7-6(2). The 32-year-old Luxembourgian had previously lost at the 2005 Australian Open and at the 2012 French Open.

Both men are coming off setbacks against Rafael Nadal at the BNP Paribas Open. Muller, who already owns 10 match victories this season, rolled over Victor Estrella Burgos before falling to Nadal 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Verdasco advanced to the third round with defeats of Peter Polansky and Martin Klizan (by retirement) only to see his fellow Spaniard oust him via a somewhat bizarre 6-0, 7-6(9) scoreline. At 4-4 on the season, the world No. 65 has not done much aside from stunning Nadal in round one Down Under. If Muller serves well, he should be able to keep his opponent on the defensive and off balance–which is never a good recipe for Verdasco.

Pick: Muller in 3

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