TipResumen

PREVIEW

With a game like the one that Robin Haase possesses I think I would have expected him to have had some stronger results on the hard courts than he has had in his career. There have been some very strong runs in tournaments which have to be respected, but the consistency can be lacking with the majority of problems coming from a return game which is no better than average. This could be a period of seeing the good Haase playing on the hard courts as he has backed up a decent week in Toronto by making it through to the Third Round in Cincinnati. Haase reached the Quarter Final last week and he has already beaten Alexander Zverev here in Cincinnati which has to give the Dutchman some real belief he can make a move up the World Rankings. The run here may have come as a surprise to the fans, but Haase may have surprised himself too having previously lost his only two other matches played at this tournament. He was perhaps a little fortunate to beat Zverev, but you need that bit of luck as the lower Ranked player against someone as strong as the German and so Haase should come into this Third Round match with some real confidence. It is a very tough match up for Haase who has lost both previous matches against Pablo Carreno Busta, although both were on the clay courts and they haven't played each other in recent years. Carreno Busta has played well enough to win his first two matches here, but he hasn't always felt at his best on what could be considered some of the quickest hard courts on the Tour. I do think Haase has the bigger serve in this match, but the wet conditions may make it a little easier for Carreno Busta to get his superior return game working. The Spaniard has actually been serving just effectively enough to win matches on the hard courts and his numbers have been far better than in previous years on this surface. If he can maintain the standards that have helped him reach the US Open Semi Final in 2017 and also the Semi Final at the Miami Masters I do give Carreno Busta the edge in this match. It can be hard to trust the Spaniard with a serve that can quickly capitulate in a single set, but I think he has been in decent enough form and is returning well enough to get the better of Haase as the latter looks to back up one of his better wins of the season. It wouldn't be a massive surprise if we need three sets to separate the players in this Third Round match, but I give the edge to Carreno Busta and think he returns well enough to cover this number.



PREDICTION

I will back the Spaniard for the second time this week to win and cover.