Nur Sultan 2020: Frances Tiafoe vs Miomir Kecmanovic preview, head-to-head & prediction | Astana Open
Match details
Fixture: Frances Tiafoe vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Date: 28 October 2020
Tournament: Astana Open 2020
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: $273,345
Match timing: 12 pm ALMT, 11.30 am IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel
Frances Tiafoe vs Miomir Kecmanovic preview
After taming Corentin Moutet in the Astana Open first round, Frances Tiafoe will now take on second seed Miomir Kecmanovic for a place in the quarterfinals.
The American looked in splendid touch against Moutet on Monday. The Frenchman had beaten Tiafoe in Sardinia just a couple of weeks ago, but the World No. 64 proved why he is so dangerous on faster surfaces with a 6-3, 6-2 revenge win.
Tiafoe has a ton of momentum on his side heading into the clash against Kecmanovic. He got broken only once all match on Monday, and blasted five aces while breaking serve four times.
Miomir Kecmanovic, a rising star from Serbia, has shown plenty of promise in 2020. The Belgrade native broke into the top 40 of the ATP rankings for the first time this season, courtesy a string of good performances throughout.
Kecmanovic won the Kitzbuhel tournament last month, registering victories over Kei Nishikori, Jordan Thompson, Federico Delbonis and Yannick Hanfmann along the way. He had even made it to the semifinals of the ATP 250 event in New York earlier in the year.
That said, Kecmanovic hasn't been in great form since his Kitzbuhel win. In his last six matches, the Serb has only two victories to his name.
Frances Tiafoe vs Miomir Kecmanovic head-to-head
Frances Tiafoe leads Miomir Kecmanovic 1-0 in the head-to-head record. The Hyattsville-based player had crossed paths with the Serb two years ago at Newport Beach, where he prevailed 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Frances Tiafoe vs Miomir Kecmanovic prediction
Although there is a considerable difference between Frances Tiafoe and Miomir Kecmanovic in the ATP rankings, the American is in better form at the moment. Not only did he record a clinical victory over Corentin Moutet in the first round, but he had also ousted Dusan Lajovic from the European Open in Antwerp last week.
Tiafoe's serve and forehand are tailor-made for the hardcourts, and his fourth-round appearance at the US Open 2020 reinforces that.
Kecmanovic meanwhile has been struggling to regain his touch over the past one month. In his last match, Adrian Mannarino mercilessly exploited the Serb's second serve by allowing him only 41% points on it. The Frenchman also saved nine break points in that match at Cologne, which suggests Kecmanovic is finding it tough to play his best tennis on the big points.
If Tiafoe serves and returns well in the upcoming second-round match, he will likely be able to put Kecmanovic under even more pressure than he already is.
Prediction: Frances Tiafoe to win in three sets.