Top two seeds Fabio Fognini and Tommy Haas will kick off their Munich campaigns on Thursday. They are set for respective meetings with Dustin Brown and Alejandro Falla.
(1) Fabio Fognini vs. Dustin Brown
Fognini will contest his first match at the BMW Open on Thursday and he comes in as the top seed. As usual, however, the mercurial Italian also comes with question marks. For the most part he has been in outstanding for since last summer, but he did not even win a single game last week in Barcelona. Fognini trailed eventual runner-up Santiago Giraldo 6-0, 4-0 before retiring due to a thigh injury. In fact, the world No. 15 has lost an incredible 19 games in a row dating back to the Monte-Carlo third round against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
It has already been a solid week for Brown, who beat Ivo Karlovic in a pair of tiebreakers on Monday. The dreadlocked German also took down John Isner in Houston on his way to the quarterfinals. Brown, ranked 86th, is 6-4 at the ATP level this season. Fognini, meanwhile, is 23-8 with a title in Vina del Mar. You never know what to expect from Fognini, especially not right now, but he should be able to withstand his opponent’s aggressive playing style on a relatively slow surface.
Pick: Fognini in 3
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Alejandro Falla vs. (2) Tommy Haas
Falla and Haas will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers and for the first time on clay. All five of their previous encounters have come on hard courts and they have not faced each other since the 2011 U.S. Open, a match that saw Haas prevail 7-6(5), 6-1, 7-5. The 36-year-old German has won four in a row at Falla’s expense to take a 4-1 lead in the head-to-head series. Falla has not extended Haas to a final set since the Colombian won their first-ever meeting 6-4, 6-4 at the 2007 Miami Masters.
Haas is 18-9 lifetime at this event and he captured the Munich title for the first time last season. Going back-to-back will require quite a turnaround for the No. 2 seed, who is modest 9-7 for his 2014 campaign and has not played since Indian Wells due to a shoulder injury. Falla booked his spot in the second round thanks to a 6-2, 6-1 blowout of Jarkko Nieminen. The world No. 71 is an even 5-5 at the ATP level this year to go along with a pair of Challenger titles (one on hard courts, one on clay). Falla is by no means a clay-court specialist, but it should help him outlast a rusty Haas even on the favorite’s home turf.
Pick: Falla in 3
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It’s really a crap shoot when picking Fognini these days. One never knows which one will show, the clown or the guy who’s got a good game on clay. I am really tempted to go with Dustin Brown. But I like to think that Fognini will win this one in three sets.
Haas just hasn’t looked good because of that shoulder. That’s the only reason I am going to pick Falla to win in three sets.
The recurring shoulder injury looks like it could scupper Tommy’s dream of qualifying for the WTF this year 🙁
The Fog
Falla
I shall wait to see if the Fog has emerged from the fog before making a pick. lol.
The Fog emerged unscathed, Falla fell to Tommy……
Well, so Tommy won. Maybe that shoulder isn’t so bad after all. Good for him! Nice to know that Fog got the win.
What has happened to the match previews for today? Or is Ricky taking a break?
Haas started well and took the 1st set against Seppi. Sadly though the shoulder appears to be playing up and his level is dropping.
Haas messed up on an overhead smash and now Seppi is serving for the 2nd set.
Tommy visibly struggling. UE count mounting rapidly. Even if he hangs on now it doesn’t bode well for his SFchances.
I had to miss 2nd half of the 3rd set but I was sure Seppi was going to take it after breaking Tommy’s serve. So it came as a surprise to see Tommy is through to the SF! That is if his shoulder holds out.
Fog and the umpire are arguing
🙂
https://twitter.com/augustazeight/status/462231538705252352/photo/1
I know Madrid is round the corner but why no previews for the Munich/Oeiras SFs?
Calling Ricky! Previews for Munich/Oeiras semifinals? 😀
Not to mention Madrid Preview and Pics. I tried to send an email asking Ricky if he was OK but it failed to go through.
Have just sent it again. Reason it didnt go first try was I copied and pasted the address from the top of the page and hadn’t spotted the full stop after ‘com’.
With no Ricky at the helm this site feels like the Marie Celeste
@ed,
What is the Marie Celeste? A ship that sunk?
No. It was found afloat but abandoned
Looks like Ricky’s been busy. Here’s a tweet from him just 20 minutes ago.
https://twitter.com/RD_Tennistalk/status/463090158548832256
back and better than ever!
#FearNot
@ed,
Oh thanks! Well, that is an appropriate analogy! 😉
Ricky has returned! The mystery has been solved!
Now all we need are Ricky’s predictions for Madrid and let the games begin! 😎
Ricky Dimon, you’re my hero.
#Bueller?
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