Tuesday match picks, including Kyrgios vs. Matosevic

Kuala Lumpur

(WC) Omar Jasika vs. Rajeev Ram: This isn’t juniors anymore. The U.S. Open boys champion has a winnable match for his jump to the real circuit, but it won’t be easy. Ram in 3.

Gregoire Burquier vs. (7) Pablo Andujar: Who? Andujar in 2.

(Q) Philipp Oswald vs. Jarkko Nieminen: Oswald is a relatively accomplished doubles player, but this is his fourth ATP-level singles match ever and first of the season. Nieminen in 2.

Bernard Tomic vs. Pierre-Hugues Herbert: Tomic seems to do well for himself at small, somewhat obscure tournaments. Tomic in 3.

Marinko Matosevic vs. (8) Nick Kyrgios: Kyrgios is burnt out and will hang up his shoes for the remainder of 2014 after this week. Perhaps he will be energized from the sight of the finish line. Kyrgios in 3.

Go Soeda vs. (Q) Kento Takeuchi: There are two legitimate qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur. Takeuchi is not one of them. Soeda in 2.

(Q) James Ward vs. (Q) Philipp Petzschner: This week’s two best qualifiers will go head-to-head in the first round. Can Petzschner’s body survive another match? Ward in 2.

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Shenzhen

(Q) Bowen Ouyang vs. (8) Santiago Giraldo: Giraldo has not won a match since Washington, D.C. A match against Ouyang is just what the doctor ordered. Giraldo in 2.

(Q) Martin Klizan vs. (Q) Viktor Troicki: Troicki is on a meteoric rise up the rankings since returning from suspension in July, but most of his damage has come on the Challenger circuit. Klizan in 3.

(5) Gilles Simon vs. Ricardas Berankis: Berankis has not played a top 100 opponent since May, so this will be a rude awakening. Simon in 2.

Maximo Gonzalez vs. (8) Andreas Seppi: I’m not sure what Gonzalez is doing at a 250-point, hard-court event. Seppi in 2.

(7) Vasek Pospisil vs. Teymuraz Gabashvili: Pospisil will be eager to make amends for his U.S. Open, in which he lost in the singles first round (to Simone Bolelli in 5) and doubles third round. Pospisil in 3.

(WC) Egor Gerasimov vs. (Q) Thanasi Kokkinakis: Gerasimov is 3-2 lifetime at the ATP level. It will be 3-3 after this. Kokkinakis in 2.

Gilles Muller vs. Marco Chiudinelli: Muller advanced one round last week in Metz and gave Jo-Wilfried Tsonga a decent test. A hard court gives him the advantage in this one. Muller in 3.

Sam Groth vs. James Duckworth: Another all-Aussie affair will fly more under the radar than Kyrgios-Matosevic. Groth’s serve should make the difference. Groth in 3.

Lukas Lacko vs. Evgeny Donskoy: Both of these guys have been somewhat hopeless in 2014, but Lacko has been even worse. Donskoy in 3.