Paris Masters 2020: Andrey Rublev vs Stan Wawrinka preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Andrey Rublev vs Stan Wawrinka
Date: 5 November 2020
Tournament: Rolex Paris Masters 2020
Round: Third round (Round of 16)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: €3,901,015
Match timing: Approx 8.30 pm local time, 1 am IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel | India - Sony Six / Sony Liv
Andrey Rublev vs Stan Wawrinka preview
A cracker of a third-round match is in store for fans as Next-Gen star Andrey Rublev takes on old warhorse Stan Wawrinka at the 2020 Rolex Paris Masters on Thursday.
Rublev is currently enjoying the form of his life, winning 20 of his last 21 matches and bagging three titles in the process (Hamburg, St. Petersburg and Vienna). The Russian looks unstoppable right now, and is many people's pick to lift his sixth title of the year in Paris-Bercy.
In his second round fixture, Rublev put up an all-round masterclass to breeze past Radu Albot in just 59 minutes. The 23-year-old's serve just keeps getting better, as evidenced by the fact that he won 91% of his first-serve points against the Moldovan and didn't face a single break point.
In fact, in his last six matches, Rublev has conceded just 4 break points, saving all of them. The last time the World No. 8 lost his serve was to Denis Shapovalov in the semifinals of the St. Petersburg Open.
Needless to say, Stan Wawrinka has his task cut out for him despite the abundance of talent and power he possesses. The three-time Grand Slam champion had a tricky second-round match against Tommy Paul, which he edged in three sets.
It was far from a convincing win for the 35-year-old, but he showed plenty of determination after going down a set. Wawrinka served well for the most part against Paul and dealt a lot of damage with his crosscourt groundstrokes off both wings. He will be looking to do more of the same against Rublev.
Andrey Rublev vs Stan Wawrinka head-to-head
The head-to-head between Andrey Rublev and Stan Wawrinka is currently tied at 1-1. The Russian won their most recent encounter, at the 2019 Cincinnati Masters.
Andrey Rublev vs Stan Wawrinka prediction
Given the form that Andrey Rublev is in, there isn’t much doubt who the favorite in this match is. Moreover, Stan Wawrinka is not the same player he once was, and is unlikely to outhit Rublev over three sets.
To get the better of the Russian you need the perfect balance of power and patience in your game. And while Wawrinka has enough of the former, he is sorely lacks in the other department right now.
Wawrinka's fitness levels have been questionable ever since the resumption of the tour, making defense all the more tricky for him. The World No. 20 has been using his sliced backhand well, but it remains to be seen if that can upset Rublev's rhythm.
The Swiss' return has not been up to scratch either of late. And if Wawrinka is unable to make a dent on Rublev’s serve, the Russian should have no problem in making the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Andrey Rublev to win in straight sets.