Shanghai R2 previews and picks: Del Potro vs. Kohlschreiber, Monfils vs. Pospisil

Juan Martin Del Potro will begin his week in Shanghai on Wednesday against Philipp Kohlschreiber. Gael Monfils and Vasek Pospisil are also looking for a place in the third round.

(6) Juan Martin Del Potro vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber

Kohlschreiber and Del Potro will be doing battle for the sixth time in their careers when they collide in round two of the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Wednesday afternoon. Del Potro is dominating the head-to-head series by a perfect 5-0 scoreline, with four of his wins having come on hard courts. The Argentine has won 11 of 13 sets against Kohlschreiber after cruising through their most recent encounter 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 at last year’s Australian Open.

Both players are wrapping up solid if unspectacular 2013 campaigns. Del Potro, who triumphed last week in Tokyo for his third title of the season, boasts a 40-12 record. The world No. 5, however, advanced past the third round of just a single Grand Slam (Wimbledon semifinals). Kohlschreiber opened on Tuesday in Shanghai with a 7-5, 6-2 dismissal of wild card Mao-Xin Gong. The 23rd-ranked German is 29-21 for the year, including a modest 2-2 this fall since reaching the U.S. Open fourth round. Kohlschreiber will have a decent chance of capitalizing on his opponent’s potential fatigue in the aftermath of Tokyo, but his past failures against Del Potro are a tough mental hurdle to overcome.

Pick: Del Potro in 3

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Vasek Pospisil vs. Gael Monfils

Pospisil and Monfils will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers on Wednesday. Their only previous meeting came early last season at a Davis Cup tie in Canada, where Monfils won a dead rubber 6-4, 6-4. This match has far more importance and will feature a much different Pospisil. The 23-year-old Canadian has made a real name for himself in 2013 and he is up to No. 43 in the world. Pospisil, who reached the Montreal semifinals, could be even higher if not for a series of final-set-tiebreaker losses this summer and fall. He kicked off his Shanghai campaign on Tuesday with a 6-3, 6-4 upset of Richard Gasquet.

His next French opponent is not as highly-ranked as Gasquet but may present an even more daunting task. One of the best defensive players in the game, Monfils is sure to give Pospisil’s offense a serious test. The world No. 42 has once again struggled through an injury-plagued year, but he finished runner-up in Winston-Salem this summer, played well in two U.S. Open matches, and he eased past Tatsuma Ito 6-3, 6-2 on Monday. Pospisil fired 10 aces against Gasquet, but he will have to serve much better than 49 percent if he wants to take control of points early and give himself a chance against Monfils.

Pick: Monfils in 3

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