Maharashtra Open 2022: Emil Ruusuvuori vs Kamil Majchrzak preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (6) Emil Ruusuvuori vs Kamil Majchrzak
Date: 5 February 2022
Tournament: Tata Open Maharashtra
Round: Semifinal
Venue: Pune, India
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $493,875
Match timing: 3.30 pm local time, 10 am GMT, 6 am ET
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Star Sports, Jio TV and Disney Plus | Official Facebook, Twitter pages and YouTube channel of the Maharashtra Open
Emil Ruusuvuori vs Kamil Majchrzak preview
Sixth seed Emil Ruusuvuori will battle Poland's Kamil Majchrzak in the semifinals of the 2022 Maharashtra Open on Saturday.
Ruusuvuori registered a 6-3, 6-4 win over defending champion Jiri Vesely in the quarterfinals. He secured an early break in the opening set to take a 3-0 lead, and maintained his advantage. The second set mirrored the first, with the Finn racing to a 3-1 lead.
Vesely showed some fight as he saved a match point at 5-3, but Ruusuvuori closed out the proceedings in the next game to progress to his second semifinal of the season.
.@EmilRuusuvuori beat defending champion Jiri Vesely in straight sets to advance to the Semifinals of the #TataOpenMaharashtra 2022!
#AdvantagePune #ATPTour #ATP #Tennis | @msltatennis @tatacompanies @atptour https://t.co/zZGgzCKM2o
Kamil Majchrzak, meanwhile, knocked out second seed Lorenzo Musetti with a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-4 win in the quarterfinals. The Pole didn't drop serve even once during the two-hour tussle.
Majchrzak dismantled the Italian in the opening set, but Musetti fought back in the second, winning it in a tie-break.
The deciding set was a close affair. Serving at 4-4, Musetti saved one breakpoint, but Majchrzak converted on his second attempt to take control of the match.
The Pole stepped up to the line, but fell behind 15-40. He saved the two breakpoints he faced and finally closed out the match on his third matchpoint.
Kamil Majchrzak is the first Singles semifinalist at the #TataOpenMaharashtra 2022, after beating Lorenzo Musetti in three sets 🙌
#AdvantagePune #ATPTour #ATP #Tennis | @msltatennis @tatacompanies @atptour https://t.co/0fumD4JdgD
Emil Ruusuvuori vs Kamil Majchrzak head-to-head
The two have faced off once before, with Ruusuvuori leading 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their only encounter 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 at the 2021 US Open.
Emil Ruusuvuori vs Kamil Majchrzak prediction
Both players have made similar starts to the 2022 season. Ruusuvuori reached the semifinals of the Melbourne Summer Set and lost in the first round at the Australian Open.
Majchrzak, representing Poland, reached the semifinals of the ATP Cup after winning all three of his group matches. But he couldn't compete in the semifinals as he tested positive for COVID-19. He then lost in the second round of the Australian Open.
Both players are aiming to reach their first ATP tour final and will leave everything out on court. Ruusuvuori certainly has more weapons than the Pole. He has a steady backhand and a powerful forehand that he uses to dictate points. Majchrzak, on the other hand, is more of a counter-puncher.
The Finn has been in a semifinal before and that experience might just turn the tide in his favor on Saturday.
Prediction: Emil Ruusuvuori to win in three sets.