ATP Newport – Men’s Monday Preview

Mischa Zverev vs. Alex Bogomolov Jr.

The first match of The Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships 2011 edition will be open by the German Mischa Zverev and local player Alex Bogomolov.

The German even that he has a suitable grass game he is yet to win a match this year and but he has a quarter-final here back in 2007 while the American reached the quarter-finals in s-Hertogenbosch and third round at Wimbledon and is 3/3 in Newport over the years. They met 2 until now but the most recent win is back in 2007.

Zverev is low confident these days but he has the game to be dangerous, powerful serve and solid net game with sharp volleys, he has the speed in execution to put Bogomolov on the wrong foot, the American will try to lead from the back of the court with pressing shots.

Olivier Rochus vs. Greg Jones

In the last two years the Belgian always reached the high stages in Newport, semi-final back in 2009 and final in 2010 losing to eventual winners. He played well on grass with quarter-final in Eastbourne losing to eventual champion Seppi and second round at Wimbledon losing to Del Potro.

He will meet Jones for the first time, the Aussie will be on his first official match on grass in ATP main draw and second match in a tournament after 2008. The Aussie likes to play mainly on forehand wing as the backhand is more defensive to keep him into rallies, powerful serve which will give some free points and handy hands at the net, a good baseliner.

The Aussie will try to win free points behind the serve to have a chance as Rochus is the handier player, the Belgian twice was pushed in first round until he found his rhythm and a tie-break isn’t out of cards.    

Denis Gremelmayr vs. Ruben Bemelmans

A left handed duel. The German was 0/5 prior to s-Hertogenbosch on grass but he reached the quarter-finals wining against Walter and Nieminen while at Wimbledon withdrew in first round.

The Belgian is on his favorite surface even that he hasn’t yet a great impact, he qualified for Halle and Wimbledon. Bemelmans is a good baseliner who also alternates making serve and volleys very good, powerful serve and good retrieving skills, quick around the court. He likes to play aggressive on this surface while the German has a more defensive approach and will try to play long to keep the Belgian away of net and comfortable zone.

The Belgian has the better serve and the better grass game having more experience on the surface even that hasn’t great success on the surface.

 

Paul Capdeville vs. Donald Young

The Chilean is in good form recently wining the Guadalajara Challenger and reaching the quarter-finals in Winnetka but he isn’t on his best surface, last time when he played on grass is back in 2009 while the last win back in 2007.

Young returned to America after grass season in Europe, he reached second round as a qualifier at Eastbourne while at Wimbledon lost in first round.

The American reached the semi-finals at Winnetka and also looks in good form. Young is more suitable to grass with his crisp left hand volleys while Capdeville will try to dictate from the back of the court, but has limited experience on the surface and the match stays on Young’s racket.

 

Brian Dabul vs. Grigor Dimitrov

     Another player who adventures at Newport is Argentinean Brian Dabul who has limited experience on grass and didn’t bother this year to play on surface. But with all his limited experience has a lot of points to defend as he reached the semi-finals here last year beating Soeda, Brown while Ball withdrew.

Dabul looks tougher from the baseline, he will try to dictate the rhythm from there, he isn’t bad at the net when he decided to advance but he doesn’t make too much this transition relying on his baseline display.

Dimitrov was close to surprise Tsonga at Wimbledon and reached quarter-finals at Eastbourne beating Anderson and Evans. The Bulgarian has the better serve and will put pressure on Dabul’s service, the odds are too low as the Argentine has some points to defend here and has the game to win a couple of games.  

Dustin Brown vs. Matthias Bachinger    

Dustin Brown lost surprisingly in quarter-finals to Dabul last year in a match that he should won on paper, he beat Phau and Querrey here. He is yet to win a match on grass this season losing to Mayer and Zemlja but can be a dangerous player in a given day.

His compatriot, Bachinger, played consistently this year on the surface reaching the final at Nottingham Challenger but he benefit by a kind draw, as prior to this year he has a poor record on the surface.

Brown has a powerful serve which will help him to win a lot of cheap points, he charge the net and has good hands there, his backhand isn’t a reliable wing but with his slice he can bury the balls as the surface is low bouncing, last year showed great skills on the ground and some tricky shots.

Bachinger is more defensively, tough baseliner but also advance to the net, he is prone to errors if he is forced to play quickly. Brown has the better serve here to win free points, last year was in better form but still he has a better suited game for grass.