ATP Cup 2022: Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Roberto Bautista Agut preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match Details
Fixture: (CAN) Felix Auger-Aliassime vs (ESP) Roberto Bautista Agut
Date: 9 January 2022
Tournament: ATP Cup 2022
Round: Final
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $10,000,000
Match timing: Not before 7 pm local time, 8 am GMT, 1:30 pm IST
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Roberto Bautista Agut preview
Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime is set to face off against Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in the second singles tie of the 2022 ATP Cup final.
In the semifinals, Denis Shapovalov won his singles match against Roman Safiullin to give Canada the lead, but Daniil Medvedev defeated Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-0 to level the proceedings. It all came down to the decisive doubles match, in which Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime beat Medvedev and Safiullin 4-6, 7-5, 10-7 to take Canada to their first ATP Cup final.
Auger-Aliassime and Team Canada started their 2022 ATP Cup campaign on a disappointing note, losing their first group tie 0-3 against the United States. But they turned things around in spectacular fashion to qualify for the semifinals by defeating Great Britain and Germany.
Auger-Aliassime notched wins over Cameron Norrie and World No. 3 Alexander Zverev, with the latter being his first top-5 victim.
Roberto Bautista Agut and Team Spain, meanwhile, have been completely dominant at the 2022 ATP Cup. This is the second time they have reached the final, having lost the first one in 2020 to Serbia.
Bautista Agut remained undefeated during the group stage of the 2022 ATP Cup, winning all three of his matches in straight sets. In the semifinals, he edged Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(6), 2-6, 7-6 (5). Overall, the Spaniard has a 11-2 record at the ATP Cup across all three editions so far.
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@BautistaAgut defeats Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(6), 2-6, 7-6(5) to win the tie and send #TeamSpain into the 2022 #ATPCup final. https://t.co/AeG8IvflkT
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Roberto Bautista Agut head-to-head
Felix Auger-Aliassime and Roberto Bautista Agut have played against each other thrice so far, with the Canadian leading 2-1 in the head-to-head. He won their most recent encounter 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 in the third round of the 2021 US Open.
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Roberto Bautista Agut prediction
While Felix Auger-Aliassime suffered a crushing loss in the semifinals, Roberto Bautista Agut held his nerve to win a three-set thriller.
The Canadian will need to regroup quickly after his latest loss and rise to the occasion. Auger-Aliassime has an attacking game, backed by a pretty reliable serve and a powerful forehand.
However, the 21-year-old's game is prone to breaking down under pressure, leading to a high number of unforced errors. Having lost all eight of his previous ATP finals, the youngster indeed has a stern test waiting for him.
Who will be the 2022 #ATPCup champions? 🏆
Bautista Agut, meanwhile, is mainly a defensive player who uses his speed around the court and counterpunching style to win points. That said, the 33-year-old is capable of playing offensively when presented with the opportunity.
Given their contrasting recent results and overall form throughout the tournament, the Spaniard has a slight edge going into this encounter.
Prediction: Roberto Bautista Agut to win in two tight sets.
Also Check Out: Updated ATP Cup 2022 Results