Second-round action in Vienna will begin on Wednesday with John Isner vs. Ernests Gulbis. The first round is wrapping up with en enticing showdown between veterans Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Tommy Haas.
Ernests Gulbis vs. (3) John Isner
Isner and Gulbis will be facing each other for the fifth time in their careers when they battle for a place in the Erste Bank Open quarterfinals on Wednesday. The head-to-head series stands at an even 2-2 following a whole host of competitive matches and also sets. Isner has won each of their past two contests in a pair of tiebreakers; 7-6(4), 7-6(2) on the indoor hard courts of Valencia in 2013 and 7-6(4), 7-6(3) last season in Indian Wells. Gulbis had previously prevailed 7-5, 7-5, 6-7(3), 7-6(6) in the 2008 Wimbledon first round and in a three-setter at the 2013 Monte-Carlo Masters.
It has been a tale of two seasons for these familiar foes. Isner started slow but has heated up to put himself in contention for a World Tour Finals alternate spot. The 13th-ranked American improved to 42-22 on the year after getting the best of Kenny De Schepper 7-6(4), 7-6(5) on Tuesday. A disastrous 2015 campaign has sent Gulbis plunging out of the top 100. The Latvian currently registers at No. 117 in the world, saddled with a 9-22 record at the ATP level this season. Gulbis at least managed to beat qualifier Lucas Miedler 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 on Monday. Isner has won two or more matches in three consecutive tournaments and the trend should continue at the expense of a slumping opponent.
Pick: Isner in 2
[polldaddy poll=9136378]
(4) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. (WC) Tommy Haas
Tsonga is coming off a runner-up performance in Shanghai as he prepares to contest his first-round match in Vienna on Wednesday. The 10th-ranked Frenchman beat Kevin Anderson and Rafael Nadal last week before succumbing to Novak Djokovic. Tsonga also captured a title last month in Metz, so his 30-14 record in 2015 includes a 9-2 clip this fall.
An intriguing matchup with Haas on Wednesday will be the fourth of their careers. The head-to-head series stands at 2-1 in favor of the 37-year-old, who most recently defeated Tsonga 6-1, 6-4 on the clay courts of Munich in 2012. Their only previous hard-court meeting came five seasons ago at the Australian Open, where Tsonga scored a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 victory. Plagued more injuries, Haas is toiling at No. 466 in the world. The German has been competitive against decent opposition at times this season, but he has not won an ATP-level match since the Wimbledon opening round. Tsonga should benefit from basically three full days off and have enough left in the tank to take care of Haas.
Pick: Tsonga in 2
[polldaddy poll=9136389]
Leave a Reply