RICKY DIMON’S WEDNESDAY MATCH PICKS, WITH DJOKOVIC, NADAL, AND FEDERER ALL IN ACTION

Written by: Staff on 7th October 2014

RICKY DIMON'S WEDNESDAY MATCH PICKS, WITH DJOKOVIC, NADAL, AND FEDERER ALL IN ACTION

epa04385232 Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts after defeating Gael Monfils of France during their quarterfinals round match on the eleventh day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 04 September 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/DANIEL MURPHY |

Ricky’s GRANDSTAND :

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer will kick off their Shanghai Rolex Masters campaigns on Monday. Well, Nadal is still expected to–but his participation is in doubt. The Spaniard is slowly making his way back from a wrist problem and now he is dealing with appendicitis. Djokovic, meanwhile, is bidding for a third straight Shanghai title.

The Wednesday second-round lineup:

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. Dominic Thiem: Thiem said on Facebook that he has a five percent chance of winning. Well, you gotta respect the kid’s confidence! Mere mortals, after all, have a zero percent chance of beating Djokovic in Asia. Djokovic in 2.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return to Vasek Pospisil of Canada during a men’s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, China 01 October 2014. EPA/ROLEX DELA PENA

Dominic Thiem of Austria follows through with a return against Julien Benneteau of France at the BNP Paribas Open tennis in Indian Wells, California, USA, 11 March 2014. EPA/DANIEL MURPHY

Vasek Pospisil vs. (14) Roberto Bautista Agut: Pospisil benefited from a serious mental meltdown by Santiago Giraldo in the first round. Bautista Agut rarely has those, but the Canadian still may be good enough to win. Pospisil in 3.

(11) Andy Murray vs. Jerzy Janowicz: Janowicz had only two double-faults in three sets vs. Edouard Roger-Vasselin on Tuesday. One one hand, that’s good news. On the other hand, that means he is due for about 15 vs. Murray. Murray in 2.

(3) Roger Federer vs. Leonardo Mayer: Mayer got to play a Chinese wild card in the first round. This is where the Argentine’s favorable draw ends. Federer in 2.

Roger Federer of Switzerland returns to Fabio Fognini of Italy, during the third single match of the Davis Cup World Group semi final between Switzerland and Italy at Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland, 14 September 2014. EPA/SALVATORE DI NOLFI

Leonardo Mayer of Argentina hits a return to Kei Nishikori of Japan during the sixth day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 30 August 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT

Gilles Simon vs. (4) Stan Wawrinka: Simon lost one game in his last two sets against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in round one. Garcia-Lopez beat Wawrinka at the French Open. If a > b and b > c, then a > c, right? Simon in 3.

(WC) Chuhan Wang vs. (Q) Malek Jaziri: It is always tough to turn in a repeat performance immediately following a career-defining win. Beating Fabio Fognini is not a career-defining win for many, but it is for someone ranked 553rd in the world. Jaziri in 2.

(6) Tomas Berdych vs. Richard Gasquet: Gasquet destroyed Berdych 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 last month in Davis Cup. But that came in France and on clay. This one is not in France and not on clay. Berdych in 2.

Jack Sock vs. (7) Kei Nishikori: I had Sock beating Nishikori in the U.S. Open second round and the American did not even make it that far. Now he gets his shot, and the pick remains the same–if only because Nishikori has to be mentally and physically spent. Sock in 3.

(10) Grigor Dimitrov vs. Julien Benneteau: If a Benneteau title watch can ever be called “off” following a win, it’s when he beats a Chinese wild card in three sets in a loaded Masters 1000 draw. Facing Dimitrov doesn’t help. Dimitrov in 2.

(8) Milos Raonic vs. (WC) Juan Monaco: This was a great matchup in 2012, back when Monaco was near if not in his prime and Raonic was not yet in his (the Argentine won a five-setter at the U.S. Open). Now it is an absolute mismatch. Raonic in 2.

Feliciano Lopez vs. (2) Rafael Nadal: As if he didn’t already have enough problems, Nadal has appendicitis and arguably should not even be playing. If he does take the court, this is a great opportunity for Lopez–already a two-time Shanghai semifinalist. Lopez in 3.

Feliciano Lopez of Spain hits a return to Dominic Thiem of Austria during the seventh day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after winning the men’s second round singles match against Peter Gojowczyk of Germany in the China Open tennis tournament at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, China 02 October 2014. EPA/ROLEX DELA PENA

Ivan Dodig vs. Mikhail Youzhny: Youzhny beat Ernests Gulbis in the first round, but everyone has beaten Gulbis since the French Open (well, except Dodig!). Still, the Croat should win. Dodig in 3.

(13) John Isner vs. Steve Johnson: Their only previous encounter went to a third-set tiebreaker. It would be borderline surprising if this one does not. It would be surprising if Isner loses two straight third-set ‘breakers to the same opponent. Isner in 3.

(SE) Martin Klizan vs. (5) David Ferrer: London will not be calling Ferrer if the Spaniard loses this one. It actually won’t be calling him one way or the other in all likelihood, but he is desperate for any kind of win right now. Ferrer in 3.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Atp, Novak Djokovic, Rafa, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, Shanghai, Shanghai Rolex Masters, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

October 7, 2014 at 2:01 pm

@RD_Tennistalk’s WEDNESDAY MATCH PICKS, WITH @DjokerNole, @RafaelNadal, AND @rogerfederer ALL IN ACTION- http://t.co/PlK4ii4TXe #tennis #ATP
RD_Tennistalk says:

October 7, 2014 at 3:19 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: @RD_Tennistalk’s WEDNESDAY MATCH PICKS, WITH @DjokerNole, @RafaelNadal, AND @rogerfederer ALL IN ACTION- http://t.co/PlK4…