Italian Open 2021: Grigor Dimitrov vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (16) Grigor Dimitrov vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Date: 11 May 2021
Tournament: Internazionali BNL d'italia 2021
Round: First round (Round of 64)
Venue: Rome, Italy
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: €2,082,960
Match timing: 10 am local time, 1.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Grigor Dimitrov vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina preview
16th seed Grigor Dimitrov is set to open his 2021 Italian Open campaign with a first-round encounter against Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Tuesday.
Dimitrov has had a poor start to his claycourt season, having made early exits in his only two appearances. The Bulgarian will be hoping for a better result this week in Rome, where he is a former semifinalist.
Davidovich Fokina, on the other hand, is in the midst of a purple patch of sorts. Last month the youngster reached the semifinals and quarterfinals of the ATP events in Barcelona and Estoril respectively.
Davidovich Fokina has been playing some fine tennis lately. His big game - which is built around a potent serve and a varied arsenal of groundstrokes - was on full display in his recent wins over the likes of Matteo Berritini and Jeremy Chardy.
If the Spaniard brings the same level of tennis on Tuesday, he could well ask a few questions of Dimitrov.
Grigor Dimitrov vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina head-to-head
This is set to be the first career meeting between Grigor Dimirov and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, so their current head-to-head stands at a 0-0 deadlock.
Grigor Dimitrov vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina prediction
Both Grigor Dimitrov and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina have a somewhat similarly well-rounded game, and the outcome of this match could well be decided by the finest of margins.
Dimitrov has a lot more experience than his younger opponent, but his recent results fail to insprie much confidence. The Bulgarian has suffered a couple of poor losses while looking a little out-of-sorts, and the slower conditions in Rome are unlikely to aid his game either.
Davidovich Fokina, on the other hand, has shown that he can hold his own against big names. He took a set off Daniil Medvedev in Madrid last week, and will definitely be eyeing an upset here in Rome.
If the Spaniard can manage to put Dimitrov under pressure from the get-go, he might walk away with the win in this one.
Prediction: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to win in three sets.