Cordoba Open 2021: Benoit Paire vs Nicolas Jarry preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (2) Benoit Paire vs Nicolas Jarry
Date: 24 February 2021
Tournament: Cordoba Open 2021
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Cordoba, Argentina
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Clay
Prize money: $325,270
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | India - Discovery
Benoit Paire vs Nicolas Jarry preview
Benoit Paire takes on Nicolas Jarry in the second round of the 2021 Cordoba Open on Wednesday.
Paire, a former World No. 18, is currently ranked 29th in the world. The enigmatic Frenchman has won three ATP singles titles in his career and has advanced to the fourth round at the Grand Slams on multiple occasions.
However, Paire has struggled since the resumption of the tennis circuit in August. He tested positive for COVID-19 in New York, ruling him out of the US Open, and has failed to rediscover his touch since then.
Paire has won only one match in nine events since the tour resumed. He went 0-3 in Melbourne earlier this month, with several of those losses coming to lower-ranked players.
Nicolas Jarry, meanwhile, is a former top 40 player who has won one singles and two doubles titles on the ATP tour. But the Chilean is now ranked No. 1165 in the world, as he is making a comeback from a doping suspension which expired in November 2020.
Jarry was not allowed to play from January to November 2020 due to the suspension. He has competed on the ITF and ATP Challenger circuit since the start of his comeback, going 1-4 prior to this week.
Benoit Paire vs Nicolas Jarry head-to-head
Benoit Paire and Nicolas Jarry have met on three occasions on the ATP Tour so far, with the Frenchman leading their head-to-head 3-0.
Paire won their first match on clay in 2018, followed by two wins on hardcourt. Their most recent encounter was at the 2020 ATP Cup, which Paire won in three sets.
Benoit Paire vs Nicolas Jarry prediction
Having received a wild card into the main draw at Cordoba, Nicolas Jarry justified the organizers' decision with a three-set win over Jaume Munar in the first round. Jarry came from behind to win 5-7, 7-6, 6-4 in over 2 hours and 40 minutes, setting up the second round showdown against Benoit Paire (who received a first round bye).
Paire is one of the most talented players in the game, but the Frenchman has struggled with consistency and shot-selection throughout his career. And that is arguably what makes him such an intriguing player to watch.
Paire has admitted to struggling in the 'new normal' conditions involving bubbles, quarantines and no fans. On the other hand, Jarry is on a mission to make up for lost time.
If the Chilean can play solid and elicit errors out of Paire, he could very well cause an upset here.
Prediction: Nicolas Jarry to win in three sets.