These are not necessarily great plays, but just continuing to cap tennis & find value where it presents itself. First tourney back on clay for Gasquet & Mathieu in Romania. Just a hunch that one of them gets bounced today. Matches during the wee hours of the AM if you care.
Gasquet vs. Oscar Hernandez +340
Hernandez is a wiley vet who is at home on clay. Gasquet is the superior talent w/out a doubt, but this will be his first match on clay in two months. He had little success on the Spring on clay while Hernandez plays most of his matches on the surface. More than capable of pushing Gasquet. I expect 3 sets even if Hernandez drops this.
Mathieu vs. Navarro-Pastor +240
NP took time after losing a solid match in the US Open vs. Fernando Gonzalez to go play on the clay in Denmark. He's been very competent on the lower tier clay court series, winning a tourney this season. Mathieu meanwhile is back on clay for the first time since July 7th when he lost in the 1st round to Cilic at Gstaad. He did some OK things on clay in the Spring, including an nice run at the French. He has however lost in tourney openers switching back to clay after layoffs in 2 straight tourneys this year showing he may have a little rust to shake off before being successful.
Let's see what happens.
Gasquet vs. Oscar Hernandez +340
Hernandez is a wiley vet who is at home on clay. Gasquet is the superior talent w/out a doubt, but this will be his first match on clay in two months. He had little success on the Spring on clay while Hernandez plays most of his matches on the surface. More than capable of pushing Gasquet. I expect 3 sets even if Hernandez drops this.
Mathieu vs. Navarro-Pastor +240
NP took time after losing a solid match in the US Open vs. Fernando Gonzalez to go play on the clay in Denmark. He's been very competent on the lower tier clay court series, winning a tourney this season. Mathieu meanwhile is back on clay for the first time since July 7th when he lost in the 1st round to Cilic at Gstaad. He did some OK things on clay in the Spring, including an nice run at the French. He has however lost in tourney openers switching back to clay after layoffs in 2 straight tourneys this year showing he may have a little rust to shake off before being successful.
Let's see what happens.
