Shanghai R3 previews and picks: Murray vs. Isner, Wawrinka vs. Cilic

An incredible third-round schedule on Thursday in Shanghai features a dangerous match for Andy Murray as he goes up against John Isner. Stan Wawrinka and Marin Cilic are also aiming for a place in the quarterfinals.

(3) Andy Murray vs. (13) John Isner

Murray has owned big servers throughout his career and not even one of the biggest deliveries in tennis history is any exception. Isner’s serve has never gotten the best of Murray as the two competitors head into what is still an intriguing third-round showdown at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Thursday. The second-ranked Scot boasts a perfect 4-0 record in the head-to-head series and has won 11 of 13 total sets. They most recently collided during first-round Davis Cup action earlier this season, with Murray benefiting from home-court advantage and rolling to a 7-6(4), 6-3, 7-6(4) triumph.

That being said, Isner is obviously a threat in any match he plays. The 13th-ranked American is an outstanding 41-21 for his 2015 campaign despite being little more than hopeless the first two months. He has been on cruise control this week with straight-set defeats of Adrian Mannarino and an in-form David Goffin. Isner served at 70 percent against Goffin while firing 21 aces and no double-faults. Murray opened on Wednesday by taking out Steve Johnson 6-2, 6-4. The third seed, though, will want to improve on 57 percent serving and 46 percent (11/24) of second-serve points won. Isner should make this extremely competitive, but as usual in the end his power game will get broken down by Murray’s return.

Pick: Murray in 3

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(14) Marin Cilic vs. (4) Stan Wawrinka

Wawrinka and Cilic will be squaring off for the 10th time in their careers on Thursday. The head-to-head series is being dominated 8-2 by Wawrinka, but Cilic has at least won two of their last six encounters after losing the first four. The two Grand Slam champions most recently faced each other at the 2014 World Tour Finals, where they played one of the few three-setters of the tournament in a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory in Wawrinka’s favor.

At fourth in the world, Wawrinka is an awesome 13-1 in his last 14 matches dating back to the start of the U.S. Open. The 30-year-old Swiss reached the semis of that major and he is coming off a title last week in Tokyo. Wawrinka kicked off his Shanghai campaign by defeating Viktor Troicki 7-6(3), 6-3 on Wednesday. Cilic got a new lease on life by saving one match point to survive Chinese wild card Di Wu 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) in the opening round. The 12th-ranked Croat used it as a wake-up call and promptly erased countryman Borna Coric 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday. Against Coric, Cilic served at 71 percent with six aces and zero double-faults while dropping a total of six points in seven service games. Similar serving would see a well-rested No. 14 seed put an end to Wawrinka’s hot streak.

Pick: Cilic in 3

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