Monte-Carlo previews and picks: Dimitrov vs. Verdasco, Cilic vs. Mayer

Grigor Dimitrov and Marin Cilic will kick off their Monte-Carlo campaigns on Tuesday. They are set for respective meetings with Fernando Verdasco and Florian Mayer.

Fernando Verdasco vs. (9) Grigor Dimitrov

Dimitrov and Verdasco will be squaring off for the third time in their careers when they collide in round one of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Tuesday. The head-to-head series is tied 1-1 following a 7-6(3), 5-7, 7-5 Verdasco victory on the clay of Bastad in 2013 and a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win last fall on the hard courts of Beijing.

Verdasco is coming off a semifinal showing in Houston, where he ultimately lost to Sam Querrey 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. The 40th-ranked Spaniard’s 13-8 record on the season also includes a fourth-round performance in Miami. Dimitrov, on the other hand, has slumped since reaching the semis in Brisbane and the last 16 at the Australian Open. The 11th-ranked Bulgarian has dropped his second match at four consecutive events, but he has not yet suffered a first-round setback in 2015. While current form and surface favor Verdasco, such a quick turnaround after an event on a different continent is cause for concern.

Pick: Dimitrov in 3

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(PR) Florian Mayer vs. (8) Marin Cilic

Cilic and Mayer have combined to play a mere two matches this entire season. The 2014 U.S. Open champion returned from a shoulder injury in Miami, where he lost right away to Juan Monaco in straight sets. Thus Cilic is still looking for his first victory since capturing the Moscow title last fall.

Mayer is unranked because he has been out for more than 12 months. The 31-year-old did not play after Miami in 2014 due to a groin problem and this is the first tournament of his comeback. He opened in style on Monday by defeating Mikhail Youzhny 7-6(8), 6-4. That is an encouraging result for Mayer, although it must be noted that Cilic did not play poorly in his recent loss to an in-form Monaco. Look for the 10th-ranked Croat to start getting on track in 2015 against an opponent who is dealing with even more rust.

Pick: Cilic in 3

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