Atlanta Open 2022: Alex de Minaur vs James Duckworth preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Alex de Minaur vs James Duckworth
Date: July 28, 2022
Tournament: Atlanta Open 2022
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Atlanta, United States
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $708,530
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | Australia - beIN Sports
Alex de Minaur vs James Duckworth preview
After a first-round bye, third seed Alex de Minaur will lock horns with fellow Australian James Duckworth in the second round of the Atlanta Open on Thursday.
De Minaur enjoyed considerable success on the hardcourts at the start of the season and will be looking to repeat his exploits on the surface once again. The 23-year-old won two of his ATP Cup group ties. He then advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time in his career.
De Minaur reached the quarterfinals of the Rotterdam Open after that. He suffered an early exit from the Dubai Tennis Championships, going down to Karen Khachanov in the first round. The Australian then made it to the fourth round of the Indian Wells Open, losing to eventual champion Taylor Fritz. This was followed by a third-round exit from the Miami Open.
De Minaur is a former Atlanta Open champion, winning the title in 2019. He'll be looking to enter the winner's circle once again this year.
James Duckworth was up against qualifier Dominik Koepfer in the first round. The Australian needed to save three break points in the very first game of the opening set. But once he managed to hold serve, he didn't look back as he raced to a 5-0 lead. After a hold of serve by his opponent, the 30-year-old easily served out the set.
The second set was more evenly contested. The duo exchanged breaks midway through the set and remained on serve otherwise. With Duckworth serving to stay in the set at 6-5, Koepfer held a couple of set points but failed to capitalize on them. Nevertheless, the German emerged on top in the tie-break to take the match to a decider.
James Duckworth outlasts Koepfer 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 to advance @ATLOpenTennis!
Late Night Battle 🌙
🇦🇺 James Duckworth outlasts Koepfer 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 to advance @ATLOpenTennis!
#CitiOpen https://t.co/Q8bBWsQ2wo
Duckworth snagged an early break to lead 3-0 in the final set. He didn't squander this advantage and eventually won the match 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3. This was his first victory on hardcourts this year.
Alex de Minaur vs James Duckworth head-to-head
The compatriots have never faced off on tour prior to this, so the head-to-head is deadlocked at 0-0 for now.
Alex de Minaur vs James Duckworth odds
Alex de Minaur vs James Duckworth prediction
Duckworth's first-round win over Koepfer was just his third victory of the season. Considering his dire form, de Minaur will be the heavy favorite to win this encounter.
Duckworth hit eight aces and won an impressive 81% of his first serve points against Koepfer. If he replicates these stats against de Minaur as well, he might have a chance of winning. The 30-year-old hits his groundstrokes with decent depth, and thus pins his opponents behind the baseline. However, his level fluctuates far too much in between matches.
De Minaur, on his part, is known for his consistency. His speed and footwork usually allow him to prolong the rallies until they ultimately turn in his favor. He's got a 11-6 record on hardcourts this year, which is much better compared to his opponent.
Duckworth has struggled for the better part of the year and it's hard to see him finding his range just in time to upstage a top player. De Minaur should be able to handle whatever his opponent throws at him and advance to the next round.
Pick: Alex de Minaur to win in straight sets.