Tuesday tennis acca tips: Danielle Collins to make winning start to clay swing

The professional tours have made the shift to clay as the build-up to the French Open begins.

Miami Open champion Danielle Collins is in action for the first time since winning the biggest title of her career.

Collins is among those turning out on the green clay in Charleston.

Here we make our picks from selected matches on the ATP and WTA Tours.

 

ATP Houston: Alex Michelsen vs Max Purcell | Pick: Michelsen

ATP Houston: Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Aleksandar Kovacevic | Pick: Kokkinakis

ATP Marrakech: Albert Ramos Vinolas vs Stanislas Wawrinka | Pick: Wawrinka

ATP Marrakech: Alexander Shevchenko vs Matteo Berrettini | Pick: Berrettini

WTA Charleston: Ashlyn Krueger vs Gabriela Lee | Pick: Krueger

WTA Charleston: Danielle Rose Collins vs Paula Badosa Gibert | Pick: Collins

WTA Charleston: Magdalena Frech vs Sloane Stephens | Pick: Stephens

WTA Charleston: Taylor Townsend vs Sofia Kenin | Pick: Townsend

 

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ATP Houston: Alex Michelsen vs Max Purcell

Max Purcell faces a young upstart in Alex Michelsen who recently surpassed him on the ATP Tour rankings.

Michelsen's recent form has been great and he keeps breaking new ground as a professional.

What could count against Michelsen is his inexperience on clay, a surface on which he has played just eight matches.

Purcell is below a 50% win rate on clay and has been every season barring 2018.

 

ATP Houston: Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Aleksandar Kovacevic

Thanasi Kokkinakis and Aleksandar Kovacevic will meet for the first time in their careers with just six rankings places separating the two men.

Kokkinakis has elements of his game that work very well on clay and despite a limited season last well enjoyed a decent return of match wins last term on the surface.

Despite his Serbian heritage Kovacevic was born and grew up in the United States so he doesn't have a clay court pedigree.

Kovacevic has lost 16 of his 30 matches on clay and could struggle against the power of Kokkinakis from the baseline.

 

ATP Marrakech: Albert Ramos Vinolas vs Stanislas Wawrinka

Stanislas Wawrinka has a dominant 8-0 record over Spain's Albert Ramos Vinolas and should keep that going.

Wawrinka may be getting on in years but there is plenty of fight left in the old dog yet.

Ramos Vinolas has been in action on the Challenger Tour recently and hasn't found his best form in a while.

Wawrinka hasn't dropped down levels to seek match wins this season but as a result, has just one to his name.

 

ATP Marrakech: Alexander Shevchenko vs Matteo Berrettini

Matteo Berrettini will hope to find his top-ten quality of old as he continues his comeback from injury.

Alexander Shevchenko has enjoyed good form since switching allegiance to Kazakhstan from Russia.

Shevchenko has played well in fits and starts but hasn't been able to string it together consistently.

Berrettini will hold the edge if he can start well and put Shevchenko under pressure.

 

WTA Charleston: Ashlyn Krueger vs Gabriela Lee

Ashlyn Krueger and Gabriela Lee met last April at the W60 event in Charlottesville with the young American winning that exchange.

Krueger will be helped by the Charleston surface not playing quite like red clay.

Lee has over 230 matches on clay under her belt but Charleston's surface is a green clay made from crushed metabasalt and plays like a slightly sluggish hard court.

Krueger is among the American players looking to impress in this clay swing and she is a player to watch.

 

WTA Charleston: Danielle Rose Collins vs Paula Badosa Gibert

Danielle Collins and Paula Badosa meet for the second time in their careers.

Collins won that first meeting in San Diego and comes into this match off a Miami Open title win.

Collins may experience a big title hangover and has been candid about the reasons behind her retirement which could impact her ability to play a lot of matches this year.

Badosa is still finding her feet after an injury comeback but looks better with every match.

 

WTA Charleston: Magdalena Frech vs Sloane Stephens

Sloane Stephens has beaten Magdalena Frech in both of their meetings to date.

Frech has been in better form this year although the margins are pretty slim.

Stephens hasn't won more than two matches in a row this season but looks good to take her head-to-head against Frech out to 3-0.

Frech is on a four-match losing streak which threatens to grow to five in Charleston.

 

WTA Charleston: Taylor Townsend vs Sofia Kenin

Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin hasn't looked like the player who won a Grand Slam for some time.

On recent form, Taylor Townsend is the favourite to progress from this clash.

Kenin leads the head-to-head 2-1 but Townsend has 10 match wins this season while her compatriot has just one.

Kenin is on a seven-match losing streak right now and has been handed a tough opening assignment.