ATP HALLE – Men’s Tuesday Preview

Andrey Golubev vs. Daniel Gimeno-Traver

Heading to Halle, the Spaniard Gimeno-Traver has only one grass win in his career, back in 2009 he surprised Dent in first round at Wimbledon. It might be Golubev’s chance to register another win this year even that he isn’t on his best surface.

The conditions today are on his side, the weather looks sunny and the courts should be on faster side which will help Golubev’s serve. He putted some fight in French Open against Bellucci but simply the Brazilian was in better form. Also the Spaniard slowed down recently wining only one win in the last six matches. The Spaniard isn’t on his best surface and has loses to Karanusic, Gil, Schuettler, Lapentti on this surface, Golubev has the better serve to win free points and takes the ball earlier to have the better control and the match stays on his racquet.

Viktor Troicki vs. Mischa Zverev

Tricky match. Zverev has a good game suitable for grass courts but his losing strike is a concern here, but last year also was in poor form heading to Halle and reached quarter-finals. He has reached the same stage in the last two years here. He has a good serve, more accuracy then powerful, and he follows that to the net for volleys, good forehand and compact backhand and what is more important is that the surface permits to win free points and doesn’t put too much fight. In Halle has wins over Melzer or Berdych and overall the Serbian relies mostly on his powerful serve and ground strokes from the back of the court. Also he lost to Melzer, Petzschner, Kiefer or Stepanek, players which are related more or less to serve and volley.

Troicki is 2/3 on grass in 2010 and 2/2 in 2009, if Zverev will put some fight and desire has the game to take this one, Halle is kind of resurrection for the German player.

Philipp Petzschner vs. Dominik Meffert      

Fourth-seed Mikhail Youzhny, who had been due to face Philipp Petzschner, has pulled out after suffering a foot injury and has been replaced in the draw by lucky loser Dominik Meffert. He lost in the last round of qualifications to Serra after he beat Chiudinelli and Jouan.

Last year also as a lucky loser he reached second round after he beat Ferrero. He is a good baseliner with solid serve but his advances to the net are sometimes unprepared and can be easily passed. He has more success on clay as on fast courts his defense can be easily broke, he also is a good double player and has some inspiring hands at the net when he advances.

Petzschner is better suited to grass with his low bouncing slice, he reached the semi-finals last year while at Wimbledon was close to beat Nadal. The match will be played under the roof and conditions will be faster which will suits to Petzschner better.

Milos Raonic vs. Pablo Andujar

Neither player has any experience playing on grass and neither player has recorded an ATP victory on this surface yet.

Overall the Spaniard has more experience on the surface playing more matches on the surface. But the assembles stops here as Raonic comes with a powerful serve which will give him a lot of free points especially on this low bouncing surface, he will blast winners all over the court.

Andujar too has a solid serve of his own and showed some attacking tennis in Casablanca but he needs to finish the points from one, two shots as Raonic will take the upper hand with his powerful ground strokes.

Dustin Brown vs. Florian Mayer

Wild card Dustin Brown will challenge Florian Mayer in first round in Halle. Mayer entered in Top 20 and will be interesting how will cope with the pressure of being top German player, he had some downs in the past when was under pressure. Brown isn’t without practice on the surface, teamed up with Martin Emmrich played the doubles final in Nottingham. Brown has a powerful serve and is a skilful volleyer, he advance to the net even that he isn’t prepared.

Also have good retrieving skills, last year he beat Querrey in Newport. Last time when Mayer played in Halle was back in 2007, has a good game for grass with a solid serve and takes the ball earlier creating good angles to trouble anyone in a give day but Brown showed that can be a hard nut to crack especially if his serve will enter, he has some matches under his belt.

Andreas Seppi vs. Tommy Haas    

In his comeback, the German Tommy Haas received a WC invitation to Gerry Weber Open. He made his comeback from hip and knee problems last month in a doubles events at the Munich Open but needs more match practice to try to rediscover his game.

"I'm just kind of right there where I'm not sure where the body will be. All I try to do is to get it back to a place where I feel really comfortable for a few hours playing a match", said the German.

They have a meeting back in 2006 and Haas let only three games to the Italian back then but this time around Seppi looks a little bit in slight better form and also in a three sets match he will be much fresher.

The match stays on Seppi’s racquet which troubles us a little bit.

Ruben Bemelmans vs. Tomas Berdych      

Belgian Ruben Bemelmans returned to Halle, last year was a lucky loser but he put a lot of fight in first round against Kohlschreiber, the German saving match points in the second set tie-break.

Bemelmans enjoys the fast conditions here under the roof, his powerful serve and attacking tennis has more stings on this surface. He won in straight sets against Stadler, Kindlmann and Begemann with his serve improving from match to match.

The Czech is in search of his game on grass as he has a lot of points to defend at Wimbledon and he played twice the final in Halle wining back in 2007 but in the last two years he lost in second round. Berdych is favorite to advance further but Bemelmans is 1/4 on the surface and has the game to force a tie-break.

Gael Monfils vs. Florent Serra      

A French duel in Halle. Monfils is for the first times in Halle and despite his powerful serve and solid game from the back of the court his record on grass isn’t great.

Neither Serra has a better record but his coming after three tough matches here, he beat Sadecky, Bubka and Meffert and in the past he always gave a real fight to Monfils in his three encounters. Serra’s record on grass is poor, his best results came back in 2006 with a semi-final in s-Hertogenbosch and since then he has a win here and there. That mainly because he waits too much opponent mistakes and relies mostly on opponents pace.

Monfils is favorite to advance but further but is hard to back him confident on his first match on the surface while Serra in three encounter with Monfils forced him to play five tie-breaks, 3/2 for Monfils overall record.