ATP Nice Tuesday Preview

Andreas Haider-Maurer vs. Carlos Berlocq

Austrian Andreas Haider-Maurer fought back after he easily lost the second set in the final qualifier of the Open de Nice Côte d’Azur at Nice Lawn Tennis Club.

Haider-Maurer did well with the first serve but was erratic on the second serve, but he was the better player on court as Haase served better then Austrian. They met in qualifications for Rome and the Argentine easily won letting only 4 games, but now Haider-Maurer beat three opponents to advance here, Smyczec, Millot and Haase and enters with a higher morale.

The Austrian is good baseliner, compact serve and a useful volleyer but he is prone to errors on backhand wing as he hits him more on defensive while forehand is his main weapon to win points.

Berlocq slowed down recently being only 1/4 in May, the only win came against Haider-Maurer. Tricky match but overall the Austrian will see this as a good opportunity and having already three wins here.

 

After he beat Verdasco in Madrid, Lu returned to hard courts and reached the semi-finals in Busan Challenger.

He is here to gather some rhythm on clay prior to Roland Garros. Cuevas after he reached the semi-finals in Estoril and has his chances to reach the final slowed down a little bit and lost in first round in Rome as a qualifier against Kubot. Lu beat Verdasco because of the poor performance of the Spaniard, he has a solid defense but he hasn’t a real weapon on clay while Cuevas has a powerful serve to win cheap points and will dictate the rhythm from the back of the court, he mix up well on court to not give any rhythm and if the Uruguayan will not suffer any let downs he should win easily.    

After he reached the quarter-finals in Houston, the Russian won only one match on European clay and that against veteran Schuettler losing four matches.

He has some points to defend in Roland Garros as he reached the fourth round last year as a qualifier and he needs some rhythm prior to French Open. He hasn’t an easy match as the Ukrainian showed some grueling tennis recently losing only against tough baseliners like Ferrer, Nieminen and Starace.

The Russian needs firstly a solid first serve to win some cheap points, he needs to play aggressive tennis pushing the Ukrainian way behind the baseline, he needs to play with long and deep shots as Stakhovsky isn’t comfortable from the back of the court.

Not an easy match as Gabashvili looks without rhythm, the Ukrainian has a good backhand slice to force the Russian to hit from an uncomfortable point.

Ernests Gulbis withdrew in the last tournaments with respiratory problems.

"Every time a small wind blows it affect me, my immune system was not good and this time I had to drink antibiotics for three days and didn’t practice at all. I hope to get a wild card into Nice", said Gulbis a couple of days ago.

He is here to have some matches on clay as he is only 1/2 on the red dirt this year. Also the Italian is in search of some form on the red dirt, he is on four losing strike but things looked a little bit improved against Wawrinka in Rome.

Fognini also struggle with some health problems withdrawing with right hip in Barcelona. Two different styles with two players which struggles these days, Gulbis is the more offensive player with his serve and powerful ground strokes while Fognini is more defensive relying on his defense and forcing the opponent to play an extra shot.

A lot will depend of Gulbis’ serve, if the Latvian will land a high percentage will have the upper hand to win free points and feel comfortable on his own serve while the Italian looks more consistent from the back of the court. Looks more like guessing the winner between two players who struggles these.

They met a couple of weeks ago in Munich and the Cypriot won in two sets but it was a contested first set but this time the Frenchman came in better form, he reached the quarter-finals in Prague and semi-finals in Bordeaux.

Baghdatis since then won only one match, against Falla and lost three of them and still he has problems lading a high percentage of first serve in. His serve looks very vulnerable on this slow surface, the Frenchman has good retrieving skills and can have the upper hand.

Both are in search of some matches prior to French Open but the Frenchman also needs points as he slept in rakings, he will dictate the rhythm from the back of the court, the match stays more on Benneteau’s racquet.