Estoril Open 2022: Dominic Thiem vs Benjamin Bonzi preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (WC) Dominic Thiem vs Benjamin Bonzi.
Date: 26 April 2022.
Tournament: Estoril Open 2022.
Round: First Round (Round of 32).
Venue: Clube de Ténis do Estoril.
Category: ATP 250.
Surface: Outdoor clay.
Prize money: €534,555.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Dominic Thiem vs Benjamin Bonzi preview
Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem will take on Benjamin Bonzi in the first round of the 2022 Estoril Open on Tuesday.
Thiem suffered a wrist injury in June 2021 and was out of action until recently. He made his comeback at a Challenger event in late March, but lost in the first round to Pedro Cachin in straight sets. The 28-year-old then tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him to withdraw from the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Thiem's first ATP tournament this season was last week's Serbia Open. Up against John Millman in the opening round, the Austrian put up a fight, but the lack of match practice was visible as he lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
He will continue his comeback at the Estoril Open, hoping to gather some momentum ahead of Roland Garros.
Dominic Thiem absolutely destroying the yellow tennis ball 🔥 https://t.co/aB0MEVpGDL
Benjamin Bonzi commenced his clay season at the Monte-Carlo Masters. After winning the first round of qualifying, he lost in the next round to Jiri Lehecka in straight sets. Nevertheless, the Frenchman made it to the main draw as a lucky loser.
Bonzi was up against Dan Evans in the first round. The opening set went by in a flash as he lost it 6-0, but he put up a much better performance in the second set, taking it to a tie-break. That wasn't enough, however, as Bonzi lost the match 6-0, 7-6 (4).
He hasn't competed in any events since and will hope to pick up a few good results at the Estoril Open.
Dominic Thiem vs Benjamin Bonzi head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between the two, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Dominic Thiem vs Benjamin Bonzi odds
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Dominic Thiem vs Benjamin Bonzi prediction
Thiem's claycourt results in the past few years have cemented him as one of the best players on the surface. Bonzi, on the other hand, has a negative win-loss record on the red dirt in ATP matches. The Frenchman's biggest advantage is that his opponent is still finding his feet after a prolonged absence from the tour.
Do you wanna find Dominic Thiem in Estoril these days? Check every practice court. He is one of them 24/7 😅 https://t.co/Afx93RarkG
In his loss against Millman, Thiem displayed that he still has the game that took him to the top, but he needs time to get it all working again. His forehand was a bit wonky, and if he's still having trouble with it, Bonzi will look to capitalize.
Thiem's backhand, however, still packs a punch, and it could be enough for him to make it through this match. His serve has been hit-and-miss so far, and he will want to find his rhythm on that shot sooner rather than later.
Bonzi has found some decent success on clay in the Challenger and ITF circuits, but hasn't been able to translate this onto the ATP tour.
Thiem is still on the comeback trail, but he's playing on a surface where he's had the most success. Against a player who's not at his best on the red dirt, the Austrian could possibly score his first win since his return to the sport.
Pick: Dominic Thiem to win in three sets.