St. Petersburg R1 previews and predictions: Zverev vs. Khachanov, Rosol vs. Schwartzman

Europe’s fall indoor swing will begin on Monday in St. Petersburg, where Russia’s own Karen Khachanov has a tough test on his hands in the form of Alexander Zverev. Lukas Rosol and Diego Schwartzman are also in first-round action.

(5) Alexander Zverev vs. (WC) Karen Khachanov

Zverev and Khachanov will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they clash in round one of the St. Petersburg Open on Monday evening. Thus begins the home stretch of what has been a long and successful season for Zverev, who is up to No. 27 in the rankings at just 19 years old. The German owns 33 of his 51 career ATP-level match wins in 2016, a number that features runner-up performances in Nice and Halle. A heavy workload has weighed Zverev down of late, likely contributing to early losses in Toronto, Cincinnati, and at the U.S. Open.

Khachanov is starting to make a name for himself at 20 years old. The Russian, who needed a wild card to get into this event since he still registers just outside the top 100 at No. 102 in the world, is an even 6-6 at the ATP level this season. Highlights include a second-round Barcelona upset of Roberto Bautista Agut, a quarterfinal performance in Kitzbuhel, and a second-round showing at the U.S. Open as a qualifier (lost to Kei Nishikori in four sets). Khachanov’s firepower can make him dangerous against almost anyone, but Zverev should have the experience–yes, even as a teenager–to get him through a competitive contest.

Pick: Zverev in 3

[polldaddy poll=9526685]

Diego Schwartzman vs. Lukas Rosol

Rosol and Schwartzman will be squaring off for the second time in their careers on Monday. Their only previous meeting came two years ago on the clay courts of Umag, where Rosol prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(2). That result all but debunks the idea that the outcome of this particular matchup should be dictated by the surface. After all, Schwartzman should generally have an edge on clay, whereas Rosol prefers playing on a faster court like grass or an indoor hard court.

The latter is exactly what Rosol will get in St. Petersburg, and that should help get back on the track in the midst of a recent slump. In his last eight ATP main-draw matches, the 85th-ranked Czech sports a horrendous 1-7 record. Schwartzman, meanwhile, lost four ATP main-draw matches in a row prior to the American hard-court swing, during which he reached the Winston-Salem third round and lost to Juan Martin Del Potro in the U.S. Open first round. The 63rd-ranked Argentine went back to clay following his early exit from New York and promptly captured a Challenger title in Colombia. A return to fast hard courts should make for the end of Schwartzman’s stay in St. Petersburg.

Pick: Rosol in 2

[polldaddy poll=9526686]