Gilles Simon and Ricardas Berankis will contest a first-round match in Shenzhen on Tuesday. Viktor Troicki, meanwhile, is set for his second ATP event of the season as he begins his week against Martin Klizan.
(5) Gilles Simon vs. Ricardas Berankis
Simon and Berankis will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they meet in round one of the Shenzhen Open on Tuesday. Although he plunged to No. 34 in the world after declining to defend his 2013 Metz title last week, Simon has some momentum following the U.S. Open. He upset David Ferrer en route to the fourth round, where he succumbed to eventual champion Marin Cilic in five sets.
Berankis is a modest 8-5 at the ATP level for his 2014 campaign and he is struggling down at 120th in the rankings. The 24-year-old Lithuanian lost in the final round of U.S. Open qualifying, but he is coming off a pair of Davis Cup victories over Bosnia and Herzegovina: 5-7, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 against Mirza Basic and 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 against Damir Dzumhur. Berankis has not played anyone in the top 100 since early May, so this will be a steep climb up in competition.
Pick: Simon in 2
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(Q) Martin Klizan vs. (Q) Viktor Troicki
Klizan and Troicki will be squaring off for the third time in their careers and the first time away from grass when they collide on Tuesday. They first faced each other at Wimbledon in 2012, when Troicki prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-4. Klizan exacted a measure of revenge by scoring a 6-3, 6-2 victory last summer in Eastbourne.
Troicki, of course, is returning from a one-year suspension. He contest his first tournament since July of last summer when he took the court in Gstaad, where he won two matches before losing to Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinals. In five ensuing Challenger events, the Serb has two titles, two quarterfinals, and one semifinal. Both Troicki and Klizan qualified for the Shenzhen main draw. Klizan is a stellar 20-11 at the ATP level in 2014 after reaching the second round of the U.S. Open and losing to Sam Querrey in Davis Cup action.
Pick: Klizan in 3
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