Tennis: Abrams has 1st round doubles picks for Acapulco and Dubai
ATP Abierto Mexicano Telcel
Acapulco, Mexico
First Round Doubles
Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares over Robert Lindstedt and Frances Tiafoe
There are a number of great first round doubles matches here in Acapulco, but the two that should be most entertaining and intriguing are the first round matches of the top two seeds. Jamie Murray, the older brother of Andy Murray, and Bruno Soares, are both excellent doubles players, and are used to playing with each other, having done so now for well over three years. They won the 2016 Australian Open together, and this year they have already won the Sydney title, before advancing to this year’s Aussie Open quarters. Lindstedt and Tiafoe are both excellent tennis players; Lindstedt is starting to make a name for himself in doubles, while Tiafoe is an up and coming young American who rode his all court game all the way to the quarters in this year’s Grand Slam in Melbourne. They have little, if any, experience together, so I don’t expect them to jell and mesh particularly well, but they should provide excellent entertainment because of their shot-making ability. But the better doubles team will win.
Bob and Mike Bryan over John Millman and Neal Skupski
Bob and Mike Bryan are one of the most accomplished doubles teams to ever play professional tennis. They have won every Grand Slam tournament, and are coming off sweeping to the title just yesterday in Delray Beach, where they beat the Skupski Brothers, Neal and Ken. Ken is not entered here, so Neal Skupski is playing with another excellent doubles player, Australian John Millman. Since the Bryan brothers are so clearly in sync as doubles partners, I think that their partnership is worth everything in this match. Although Millman and Skupski aren’t as used to playing together as the Bryans, they are still very dangerous, and could surprise. I wouldn’t be shocked if this match goes into the 10-point match tiebreaker that is played on the Tour in lieu of a third set. Whether it’s in a third set tiebreaker or in straight sets, I expect the Bryans to move past Millman and Skupski.
Dubai Duty Free Championships
Dubai, U.A.E.
First Round Doubles picks
Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic over Ivan Dodig and Damir Dzumhur
Doubles is an entirely different game than singles, and the best doubles players are rarely known world-wide, unless they’ve been around for a while, have played together for that time, and have won a ton, like the Bryan Brothers. Marach and Pavic are both great doubles players, with big serves, solid volleys, dependable returns of serve, and each with great hands. They are one of the top 3 or 4 teams in the world right now. Ivan Dodig is recognized as a terrific doubles player. He and Roger-Vasselin just beat Marach and Pavic two weeks ago in Rotterdam and took the title in the Open Sud de France. Damir Dumhur should provide excellent support for Dodig, but is not his usual partner. They are good, but not as accomplished together as Marach and Pavic. The top seeds will move on.
Karen Khachanov and Daniil Medvedev over Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury
The American-British team of Ram-Salisbury are the fourth seeds here but have drawn a really tough pair in the two Russians, Karen Khachanov and Daniil Medvedev. What has happened to Karen Khachanov? The 22-year-old Russian, who finished last year ranked No. 11 in the world in singles and entered this year as one of my favorites to upset some of the highest ranked players in the world has been an incomparable bust, sporting a 4-4 match record in 2019. But he IS 6’6”, serves bombs, and covers the whole court in a couple of steps. Partnering with Medvedev should be a blast, because he’s playing the best tennis of his career. He’s 14-3 so far on the year, and can beat anyone. Here, together, they should be terrific. Although Ram and Salisbury are a reliable team, they don’t have the firepower to topple the Russians.
Jan-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau over Jurgen Melzer and Nenad Zimonjic
Rojer and Tecau, the pair from The Netherlands and Romania, are steady doubles partners and know each other’s moves well. They are veterans (they’ve won 27 and 35 doubles titles, respectively) and will be playing another pair of veterans, Austria’s Jurgen Melzer (who is 37 and was once ranked as high as No. 8 in singles and No. 6 in doubles) and Serbia’s Nenad Zimonjic, who is 42, turned pro in 1995, and who’s best years are obviously behind him. But doubles is different than singles, and although Melzer and Zimonjic are old (especially the Serbian, although he’s won 54 doubles titles, which is a LOT), they don’t have much court to cover, and as long as they serve, volley, and return serve well, they can stay in this match and could possibly win. My money, however, is on the younger team, not because they are younger, but because they are the better team.