Marbella 2021: Pablo Carreno Busta vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas preview, head-to-head & prediction | Andalucia Open
Match details
Fixture: (1) Pablo Carreno Busta vs (4) Albert Ramos-Vinolas
Date: 10 April 2021
Tournament: AnyTech365 Andalucia Open 2021
Round: Semifinals
Venue: Marbella, Spain
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Red clay
Match timing: Not before 1 pm local time, 4.30 pm IST
Prize money: €408,800
Pablo Carreno Busta vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas preview
Top seed Paulo Carreno Busta takes on fourth seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the semifinals of the AnyTech365 Andalucia Open on Saturday.
Following a remarkable 2020 season, Carreno Busta has had an up-and-down start to 2021. The Spaniard produced a semifinal showing at the ATP Cup with Spain, but then got had to retire due to injury in the Australian Open third round.
Between Melbourne and Marbella, Carreno Busta's only professional outing was a three-set defeat at the hands of Marton Fucsovics in Dubai. However, the World No. 15 has shrugged off any rustiness he may have had by sticking to his strengths in Marbella this week.
Carreno Busta has defeated Mario Vilella Martinez and Kwon Soon-woo in routine fashion, to set up the semifinal encounter against his compatriot.
Albert Ramos-Vinolas' 2021 campaign got off to a poor start in Melbourne this year, but the Spaniard has been one of the most in-form players on clay over the last month or so. The World No. 47 reached the final and semifinal in Cordoba and Buenos Aires respectively, losing to a Cerundulo family member at each event.
Ramos-Vinolas would be brimming with confidence after his successful South American swing, during which he picked up a few big wins - including one against World No. 8 Diego Schwartzman. He has now reached the semifinal in Marbella with back-to-back three-set victories, over Ricardo Berankis and Nobert Gombos.
Pablo Carreno Busta vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas head-to-head
The semifinal in Marbella will be the fourth professional meeting between the pair, and Pablo Carreno Busta currently leads the head-to-head 2-1 over Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Ramos-Vinolas got the better of Carreno Busta in their last match, which was at Shanghai 2017. However, Carreno Busta defeated his compatriot in both prior meetings on clay - at Buenos Aires in 2017, and Sao Paolo in 2016.
Pablo Carreno Busta vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas prediction
Pablo Carreno Busta comes into the semifinal against Albert Ramos-Vinolas as the overwhelming favorite on paper.
Carreno Busta's dogged and patient style of tennis has seen excellent results in Marbella this week. The 29-year-old has only spent around two-and-a-half hours on court so far, and is yet to have his serve broken.
Ramos-Vinolas is a claycourt specialist himself though, so he cannot be written off. The 33-year-old's topspin-laden groundstrokes acquire plenty of height and depth on the red dirt, which can cause problems to any opponent.
However, Carreno Busta seems to have worked himself into form and fitness this week. After back-to-back gruelling matches, defeating his younger compatriot may prove to be a tall order for Ramos-Vinolas.
Prediction: Pablo Carreno Busta to win in straight sets.