ATP Newport – Men’s Wednesday Preview

Matthias Bachinger vs. Matthew Ebden      

Matthias Bachinger advanced with a win in Newport over Dustin Brown in three sets. After the players exchanged narrow tiebreakers in the first two sets, Bachinger assumed control of the match, breezing through the final set. A match dictate by serve where the German served more consistency with 11 aces and only 3 double faults and he never lost his serve.

Ebden had a much difficult task against Sweeting losing his serve twice despite the serve but he was solid on court. Little separates these two, both played good on grass this season and overall they have a similar game, they will try to impose the rhythm from the back of the court.

Overall Ebden has a plus on power and plays a little bit more aggressive then the German, also his slice backhand seems to be more pronounce but overall little can make the difference as Bachinger looks more consistent. Tough match which can go either way, but we stick with the more consistent player.          

Olivier Rochus vs. Nicolas Mahut

Olivier Rochus survived a tightly contested in first-round battle against Greg Jones of Australia at the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport. Jones served very well and little Rochus could do but when his serve didn’t entered then Rochus broke him. Rochus took great advantage of the ball’s low bounces, mixing well on court.

Mahut needed only 51 minutes to advance letting only one game, he lost only 2 points behind the serve. H2h is 4/2 over the years with the most recent meeting back in 2009 on grass at Manchester where the Belgian won in three sets. Tricky match as both enjoy playing on grass, Mahut has the better serve to win cheap points and advance for volleys while Rochus can mix up better on court.

The Belgian struggle to read Jones serve in first round and won mainly due to his experience as he knew when to press, while is hard to judge Mahut’s form considering the low interest of Decoud but if the Frenchman will serve big he will have the upper hand, Rochus has a lot of points to defend and that might be the upper hand for him but the Frenchman on these fast tracks will have a better impact on serve.      

Jimmy Wang vs. Edouard Roger-Vasselin      

Qualifier Jimmy Wang kept his composure from qualifications and managed to win in three sets, two and a half hours battle, against Kunitsyn. Wang had not won a match in ATP World Tour main draw action since reaching the Bangkok quarter-finals in 2007.

Wasn’t an easy match, he bounced back after he lost a set and was a break down and Kunitsyn serving for match but also benefit by Russian let downs who barely won a point after that.

He will meet now Roger-Vasselin who beat another qualifier, Bloomfield to advance. The Frenchman had some troubles in the first set but after that he controlled the match. H2h is 1-0 for Wang with a meeting back in 2007 indoors.

The Frenchman is more stable from the back of the court and if he will not suffer any let down in his game he should maneuver well his opponent on court.

Ruben Bemelmans vs. Alex Bogomolov Alex

Bogomolov has had a solid season this year, defeating then world No. 5 Andy Murray in Miami in March and advancing to the third round at Wimbledon. Continued that trend with a 3 sets win over Zverev, the German took the first set and was close in the second but after he lost his serve once more and Bogomolov won the second set was an easy task for the American against a low confident German. But he didn’t impress too much being a little bit sluggish on court.

Bemelmans won against Gremelmayr struggling on serve but was enough against a player who isn’t used with grass. Playing with a left hander in first round might help Bogomolov here while the Belgian won his first match on grass but he was close against Kohlschreiber in Halle last year and Berdych this year and was close against Benneteau.

The Belgian has a more suitable grass court game with a lot of net action and a big serve but he needs to land more of first serve in to make an impact. Both have a real shot for a quarter-final.    

John Isner vs. Arnaud Clement

Isner, who entered the tournament on a wild-card entry after No. 1 seed and defending champion Mardy Fish withdrew, needed just 63 minutes to beat Karol Beck in two sets for his first win in Newport in 3 apparitions. He was glad to finish easily his first round here, he fired down 10 aces and won a lot of free points but also Beck wasn’t at his best faulting a lot on serve.

Clement beat Ryan, after a close first set Harrison give up the fight and the Frenchman controlled the match wining the long rallies and overall the match could be much easier for Clement. H2h is 2-0 for Isner but the most worst lose for the Frenchman is the final lost in Auckland last year when he had a lot of chances but blew it away. After that final Clement was low confident and unmotivated for months and Clement will have an extra motivation here.

Isner has the serve on grass while Clement has the upper hand on the ground, if he will keep the balls low and will hit flat he will have the upper hand, Isner is yet to pass the second round in any grass tournament.  

Tommy Haas vs. Michael Yani

Tommy Haas managed his first win on his comeback trail against his compatriot Berrer. Wasn’t an easy task for Haas, he gain confidence in his game after he won the opening set in tie-break. A lot of unforced errors and sometimes sluggish on court, he was late at some balls and a lot of bad selection in the first set and overall was Berrer who lost the set then Haas won it.

Yani won against Sela who struggled to found his rhythm, was also a match where Sela blew it away then Yani won.

Haas should have the upper hand here against a player who only ventures at this stage and if he will play like he did in second set he will have the upper hand.  

Donald Young vs. Tobias Kamke

Donald Young needed only 52 minutes for a routine win over Capdeville. The American controlled the match against a player who didn’t found his move on court, he used well the low bouncing surface and served well wining 84% points behind first serve.

Kamke won against qualifier Bogdanovic but he struggled a lot on court losing his serve three times from 14 chances while he won 4 times from 4. He was a little bit sluggish on his own serve but managed to have the upper hand on second delivery of his opponent.

Kamke didn’t impress too much and in some moments he simply choked on court, Young has crisp volleys and a solid serve and doesn’t give free points on court.    

Denis Kudla vs. Grigor Dimitrov

Wild card Denis Kudla survived 24 aces against him to beat hard-serving Ivo Karlovic. Kudla, who recorded his first tour-level victory last year at this tournament, asserted he had more confidence on his second visit to Newport after practising with other pros and seeing the success of fellow 18-year-old Ryan Harrison.

“This year, anything short of winning would be okay, final, semis, but I really do believe I can win the tournament now”, said Kudla.

A wining boos for Kudla who won less points on court then Karlovic and his serve not always entered, but being a match dictate mainly by serve the more consistent player won after all.

Dimitrov was solid on serve against Dabul losing only three points behind the serve when that entered. It will be an interesting meeting, even that Karlovic showed little fight on court still Kudla kept his morale high and kept his game on court, he has the game to make this match interesting, last year he lost hard in 2 sets to Harrison.