The big news in Dubai is Federer playing for the first time since Melbourne. Roger Federer is the #2 seed behind #1 Kei Nishikori. Federer has won in Dubai 7 times. This is Nishikori’s debut. Nishikori usually plays in Mexico this time of year. There are more exciting first round matchups than usual in Dubai this year:
Benoit Paire faces off against Nishikori. Paire has never lost on this surface outside to Nishikori; however, Nishikori has won the past 3 H2Hs. Paire has played here before, Nishikori hasn’t. Makes things interesting.
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Matthew Ebden makes for an intriguing matchup because Stefanos just won the title in Marseilles. Dubai is 3,000 miles away. Stefanos has to be tired you’d think. He could withdraw..
Marin Cilic is the #3 seed and faces off against the in-form Gael Monfils. La Monf is 3-0 against Cilic in his career and just won at Rotterdam. Cilic hasn’t played since the Australian Open. Cilic should not be the favorite…
91-44-6 on tennis in 2018 up 42.63 units
26-21 on tennis in 2019 down 16.16 units
Gael Monfils at -103 for 4 units. La Monf has been awesome this year. He is slowly making me a fan. Monfils is 3-0 against Marin Cilic in his career, as mentioned above. Cilic has not played in a tournament in a month. Monfils won a tournament last week. Value play on the unseeded player vs the #3 seed.
Roger Federer -1.5 sets at -236 for 5 units. Philipp Kohlschreiber is 0-13 against Roger all time. Federer has won the past two meetings on this surface in straight sets. I would be a little worried about Federer’s long layoff, but Kohlschreiber has been off his game this year. Federer continues his dominance over another opponent. Yawn.