R1 previews and predictions: Muller vs. Brown, Mayer vs. Robredo

What is sure to be a big-serving first-rounder in Stockholm will pit Gilles Muller against Dustin Brown on Tuesday. In Antwerp, meanwhile, oft-injured veterans Florian Mayer and Tommy Robredo are aiming for a place in round two.

If Stockholm Open: Gilles Muller vs. Dustin Brown

Muller and Brown will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they clash in the Stockholm opening round on Tuesday. At No. 37 in the world, Muller is in contention for a seed at the 2017 Australian Open. He is a stellar 31-21 this season with runner-up finishes on grass in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Newport. The 33-year-old is coming off consecutive quarterfinal performances in Metz and Tokyo.

Brown registers just 10 spots off his career-high ranking at 74th in the world. The 31-year-old German enjoyed a productive spring and summer before an ankle injury at the Rio Olympics halted his progress. Brown managed to return for the U.S. Open, but he is just 1-2 at the ATP level since then and he recently lost to Jurgen Melzer in round one of the Mons Challenger. In a match that is unlikely to feature many service breaks and may be decided by just a few points, Muller’s current match toughness will likely make the difference.

Pick: Muller in 3

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European Open: (WC) Tommy Robredo vs. Florian Mayer

Robredo will be playing in just his sixth ATP event of the season when he takes the court in Antwerp on Tuesday. Four of those tournaments came in the first two months before the 34-year-old Spaniard was sidelined by foot surgery. He returned in September and has since compiled a 1-2 record at the Challenger level in addition to losing his Metz opener 7-6(5), 7-5 to Jan-Lennard Struff.

Up first for Robredo this week is a sixth career meeting with Mayer, who trails the head-to-head series 3-2. The two veterans have not faced each other since 2010, when Mayer got the job done 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 on the indoor hard courts of Rotterdam. Like his opponent, the 33-year-old German has been plagued by injury but he made the most of a clean bill of health this summer. Mayer reached the Stuttgart quarterfinals as a qualifier and then won the Halle title. Although the world No. 55 has since cooled off dramatically, he should have the edge over a rusty Robredo.

Pick: Mayer in 3

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