Radek Stepanek vs Philipp Kohlschreiber: First Round Preview – US Open 2011
23rd seed Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic will face world number 47 Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in the first round of the US Open at the Flushing Meadows in New York on Monday.
This will be the sixth meeting between Stepanek and Kohlschreiber. The Czech leads 4-1 in the head-to-head record. Stepanek has won the last three meetings between these two.
In their last meeting, the Czech thrashed Kohlschreiber in straight sets 6-4, 6-0 in the quarterfinals at the BMW Open this year. Stepanek defeated the German in four sets 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 in the round of 32 in their only previous
meeting at the US Open in 2009. The pair met twice in 2007. Kohlschreiber beat Stepanek in straight sets 7-6(12), 7-6(6) in the round of 16 at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament to claim his only win over the Czech. In the second meeting between these two
in 2007, Stepanek took the revenge as he ousted the German in straight sets 7-5, 6-3 in the round of 16 at the Credit Agricole Suisse Open in Gstaad. The Czech dismissed Kohlschreiber in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in the round of 32 at the Brisbane International
in their first meeting.
Stepanek has a 25-18 win/loss record in 2011. The right-handed had a good start to the season as he reached the semi-finals at the Brisbane International, losing to the eventual champion Robin Soderling in straight sets 3-6, 5-7.
After having pretty average results in the next six months, Stepanek came back in form last month as he upset Gael Monfils of France in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 in the final to win the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. The Czech was beaten in straight sets 3-6, 3-6
in the round of 16 in his latest tournament at the Western and Southern Open.
On the other hand, former top 25 Kohlschreiber has won just 25 of the 46 matches he has played this year. He did not have a good start in 2011 as he lost to Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-7(2) in the second round Qatar
ExxonMobil Open. The German’s best performance was at the Gerry Weber Open where he beat compatriot Philipp Petzschner 7-6(5), 2-0 RET. in the final to claim his only title of the season. In his last tournament, Kohlschreiber was knocked out by French Gael
Monfils in straight sets 2-6, 2-6 in the round of 16 at the Western and Southern Open.
The winner of the match between Stepanek and Kohlschreiber will meet either Juan Monaco or Andreas Seppi in the second round.
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