Paris Masters 2024: Alexander Bublik vs Fabio Fognini preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: Alexander Bublik vs (Q) Fabio Fognini
Date: October 28, 2024
Tournament: Paris Masters 2024
Round: First Round (Round of 64)
Venue: AccorHotels Arena, Bercy, Paris
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Hard-court (Indoor)
Prize Money: $ 6,426,106
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Alexander Bublik vs Fabio Fognini preview
One of the first-round matches at the 2024 Paris Masters will feature Alexander Bublik taking on former World No. 9 Fabio Fognini. 2024 has been a mediocre season for Bublik who has a 24-23 record in the year with one title to his name. He last played at the Shanghai Masters, losing 4-6, 2-6 to Roman Safiullin in the second round.
Bublik's lone title of 2024 came on the hard courts of Montpellier as the Kazakh player won the Open Sud de France, with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 win over Borna Coric in the final. Other notable hard-court results for the World No. 32 include a final at the Dubai Tennis Championships, losing 4-6, 3-6 to Ugo Humbert. He also reached the semifinal of the Adelaide International, losing 6-7 (2), 4-6 to Jack Draper.
Fabio Fognini has only played 24 matches in 2024, winning 12. The Italian's form and ranking have both dropped and are not what they used to be. The once Top-10 ranked player has resorted to playing Challenger Tour-level events and often has to play qualifiers to enter the main draw of tournaments.
One of the better runs for the World No. 77 came at the Swiss Open in Gstaad, where he reached the quarterfinals, before losing 4-6, 3-6 to Stefanos Tsitsipas. Fognini entered the main draw at Bercy after playing qualifying rounds. He first won 6-3, 6-4 against Fabian Marozsan, and then followed it up with a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2 win over Arthur Cazaux to enter the main draw.
Alexander Bublik vs Fabio Fognini head-to-head
The head-to-head is 1-0 in favor of Fognini. In the only match the two players contested each other, the Italian won the Round of 16 encounter 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5) at the 2023 Moselle Open.
Alexander Bublik vs Fabio Fognini odds
(Odds have been sourced from BetMGM)
Alexander Bublik vs Fabio Fognini prediction
Hard courts have been Bublik's forte in his career, as the Kazakh has reached eight hard court finals so far, winning three titles, the last of which came at Montpellier this year. However, since his third-round loss at Wimbledon, Bublik's form has completely nosedive as he has won only one match in his next 8 matches since then.
Fabio Fognini has a lone title on the hard courts in his career, winning the 2018 Los Cabos Open with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Juan Martin Del Porto. The Italian player was a prolific performer on clay, winning his biggest titles at the 2019 Monte-Carlo Masters, with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Dusan Lajovic in the final. That also happens to be the last title that Fognini won.
Bublik will be the favorite in the upcoming match as he is the higher-ranked player and an indoor hard court will suit the Kazkah more than his Italian opponent.
Pick- Bublik to win in straight sets