Barcelona Open 2021: Jannik Sinner vs Egor Gerasimov preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (11) Jannik Sinner vs Egor Gerasimov
Date: 20 April 2021
Tournament: Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 2021
Round: Second round (Round of 32)
Venue: Barcelona, Spain
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Red Clay
Prize money: €1,565,480
Match timing: Approx. 6 pm local time, 9.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Jannik Sinner vs Egor Gerasimov preview
Jannik Sinner will open his 2021 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell campaign with a second-round encounter against Belarus's Egor Gerasimov on Tuesday.
Sinner, who is the 11th seed at this year's tournament, has had a solid 2021 so far. A title in Australia and a runner-up finish at the Miami Masters have been the highlights of the season for the youngster, who now sits at a career-high ranking of No. 19. He will now be keen to carry his momentum on to clay as well.
Gerasimon, on his part, has also been playing some good tennis in 2021. The Belarusian has scored wins over the likes of Andy Murray, Benoit Paire and Guido Pella, and he now finds himself closing in on his career-best ranking of No. 65 (which he attained at the back end of last year).
The 28-year-old has a big game, but most of his good wins have come on the quicker hardcourts. Needless to say, he will enter this contest as the underdog.
Jannik Sinner vs Egor Gerasimov head-to-head
This is set to be the first meeting between Jannik Sinner and Egor Greosimov, so their current head-to-head stands at a 0-0 deadlock.
Jannik Sinner vs Egor Gerasimov prediction
Jannik Sinner has been in top form for most of 2021, having posted some of his biggest results on the Australian and American harcourts. His power-packed game is tailor-made for quicker courts, but he can be just as formidable on the red dirt.
The youngster's first big breakthrough came at last year's French Open, where he made it to the last eight with wins over the likes of Alexander Zverev and David Goffin.
Sinner is likely to step out with his characteristic aggression on Tuesday, looking to take control of the match from the get-go. For Egor Gerasimov, who plays a somewhat similar brand of attacking tennis, the key will lie in resisting the urge to outhit the Italian.
Gerasimov will, however, try and use his powerful serve to keep Sinner from unloading on his returns. The Belarusian is also more than capable of staying in baseline rallies, which could open the door for a few errors from his 19-year-old opponent.
That said, Sinner is likely to improve as the match progresses, and he might prove too strong for his opponent in this one.
Prediction: Jannik Sinner to win in two tight sets.