Firenze Open 2022: Matteo Berrettini vs Roberto Carballes Baena preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (2) Matteo Berrettini vs Roberto Carballes Baena.
Date: October 12, 2022.
Tournament: Firenze Open 2022.
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
Venue: Firenze, Italy.
Category: ATP 250.
Surface: Hard.
Prize money: $612,000.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Matteo Berrettini vs Roberto Carballes Baena preview
After a first-round bye, home favorite Matteo Berrettini will take on World No. 80 Roberto Carballes Baena in the second round of the 2022 Firenze Open on Wednesday.
Following a strong start to the season, which included a semifinal showing at the Australian Open, Berrettini was sidelined for three months. He underwent minor surgery following his fourth-round exit from the Indian Wells Masters and returned to action during the grass swing.
The Italian made a triumphant comeback, winning back-to-back titles at Halle and Queen's Club. Unfortunately, he was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon after testing positive for COVID-19. Upon his return to the tour, he finished as the runner-up at the Swiss Open.
Berrettini failed to register a single victory in the Masters tournaments in Canada and Cincinnati. He still made it to the quarterfinals of the US Open, losing to Casper Ruud. He then competed in the Davis Cup, winning all three of his singles matches. His most recent event was the Laver Cup, where he won his only singles tie by defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Before beginning his singles campaign, Berrettini will take to the court to compete in doubles. He has teamed up with his younger brother Jacopo, with the Italian duo facing off against Maxime Cressy and John-Patrick Smith.
Roberto Carballes Baena was up against Daniel Elahi Galan in the first round of the Firenze Open. The Spaniard got off to a flying start as he quickly raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set. He later served out the set with ease.
The second set was even more one-sided. Galan held serve to kick things off, following which Carballes Baena reeled off six straight games to win the match 6-2, 6-1. The two have also teamed up to compete together in doubles, and will take on Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela and Nicolas Barrientos.
Matteo Berrettini vs Roberto Carballes Baena head-to-head
Berrettini leads Carballes Baena 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2019 St. Petersburg Open in straight sets.
Matteo Berrettini vs Roberto Carballes Baena odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Matteo Berrettini vs Roberto Carballes Baena prediction
Carballes Baena is mainly a clay court specialist. His first-round win over Galan was just his second victory of the season on hardcourts, with his remaining seven wins coming on the red dirt.
Berrettini, on the other hand, is comfortable on all surfaces. The difference in their serve is quite massive, with the Italian having a huge advantage over his opponent. He has won 88.5% of his service games this year, which puts him in sixth position on the ATP tour.
Carballes Baena is no stranger to grinding it out in matches, but the conditions in Firenze aren't conducive to that style of play. He performed quite well against Galan in the first round, but is unlikely to trouble Berrettini.
Pick: Berrettini to win in straight sets.