The Miami Open tennis tournament from Crandon Park Tennis Center goes into the second round and so do our tennis picks. We had a mixed bag of results with our tennis picks on Thursday as we went 2-1. Marco Baghdatis had no problem whatsoever with Benjamin Becker, cashing in straight sets. Federico Delbonis also cashed for us, but he needed the full three sets. Our lone loss was Leo Mayer, who lost in three sets to Damir Dzumhur in one of the bigger upsets of the day. Mayer was broken in the third set, which proved to be the difference.
Players at various positions of age and effectiveness on the ATP Tour will try to make the most of this event, the last big hardcourt event before the upcoming European clay season. Here’s our tennis picks for the day:
Taylor Fritz vs. David Ferrer
Betting Odds: Ferrer -256
This is a matchup which should go to Ferrer. It’s true that Fritz, as an American, will have a very supportive crowd cheering him on, but that can only go so far against a superior veteran player who will have Spanish fans in Miami providing a vocal minority contingent of fans. Ferrer did not play Indian Wells, so he is going to be physically ready to play this match. Technique might be something of a concern, but the thing about playing Ferrer is that you have to be patient, technically solid, and ready to do a lot of running. Is Fritz at the point in his development where he’s ready to absorb Ferrer’s relentless style of play and come up with sufficiently strong answers? It’s possible – again, Ferrer could suffer from rust, and that might be enough to swing the match to the young American. However, on balance, the odds suggest that Ferrer is more ready to win this match and move on in the tournament. Take Ferrer with your tennis picks.
Pick: Ferrer in three sets
Fernando Verdasco vs. Jeremy Chardy
Betting Odds: Verdasco -164
This is a match which should be very tight. These are two talented journeymen players. They’re not spectacular in general, but when they’re on, they are very tough to handle. They are powerful hitters. They go for their shots. They can crush the ball from the forehand side and do not give opponents a lot of time in which to react to what they’re doing. This should be a very explosive match with a lot of winners and plenty of unforced errors rooted in an attempt to go for broke and end points quickly. Both players are likely to be erratic in spots. This suggests an up-and-down match with a lot of twists and turns. That kind of match could be a two-tiebreaker match, but it’s more likely to be a three-set match. Chardy did really well on the hardcourts of North America last summer. Give him a slight edge here with your tennis picks.
Pick: Chardy in three sets
Steve Johnson vs. Alexander Zverev
Betting Odds: Zverev -130
This is a match which is very important for the young Zverev. He led Rafael Nadal, 5-2, in the third set of a mid-tournament match in Indian Wells, and then choked. There’s no other way to say it. Zverev missed an easy volley on match point, and it all went downhill for him from that point onward. Zverev really needs to win this match for his confidence – not just right now, but for the next few months of the tennis season. Losses can haunt young players. Being able to win early in the next tournament can establish a player and enable him to move forward, instead of dwelling on the past. Johnson will put up a good fight, but you know Zverev wants this badly, and he’s likely to do what it takes to win. If he encounters a really tough moment in the first set, such as a bad call or a tiebreaker loss, he might crumble, but as long as he can get off to a decent start, he should be okay. Take him with your tennis picks.
Pick: Zverev in three sets
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