Barcelona Open 2021: Carlos Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Carlos Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe
Date: 20 April 2021
Tournament: Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 2021
Round: First round (Round of 64)
Venue: Barcelona, Spain
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Red Clay
Prize money: €1,565,480
Match timing: Approx. 2.30 pm local time, 6 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Carlos Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe preview
Teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz will begin his 2021 Barcelona Open campaign with a first-round match against USA's Frances Tiafoe.
Alcaraz is coming off a remarkable run at the Andalucia Open in Marbella, where he finished as one of the semifinalists. The Spaniard defeated Feliciano Lopez and Casper Ruud along the way.
Alcaraz's 6-2, 6-4 win over Ruud in particular gave ample evidence of his claycourt skills. The result looks all the more impressive now, given how well Ruud has been playing at Monte Carlo this week.
Alcaraz's Marbella exploits came after a series of first-round exits at Montpellier, Acapulco and Miami. A return to the red dirt helped the 17-year-old find his feet, as he registered three consecutive victories before succumbing to eventual runner-up Jaume Munar.
Frances Tiafoe, meanwhile, hasn't played since the Miami Open, where he lost in the fourth round to Daniil Medvedev. That said, the 23-year-old has already had some match practice on clay this year.
Tiafoe played both the Chile Open and the Argentina Open during the South American clay swing, losing in the second round at each.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe head-to-head
Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe have never faced each other on the tour before, so their head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Frances Tiafoe prediction
Although Frances Tiafoe played predominantly on hardcourt during his early career, he is fairly comfortable on clay too. Given that the American is blessed with a lot of power off both wings, finding winners on the slow surface has never been a big concern for him.
But in Carlos Alcaraz, Tiafoe will face a player who has massive power as well as massive spin. Tiafoe will likely be robbed of time at the baseline, making it trickier for him to unleash his entire repertoire of shots.
Alcaraz's missile-like forehand is a real weapon on clay, and if he finds the groove on that shot early then he will likely be in control of a majority of the rallies. The teenager can, however, cough up some untimely forehand errors when put under pressure, the prime example of which is the Marbella semifinal match against Jaume Munar.
Tiafoe on his part would look to employ a lot of variety in his shots and keep Alcaraz on his toes. But if the Spaniard can find the right balance between aggression and patience, he has enough game to outlast Tiafoe.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz to win in three sets.