Roland Garros: Diego Schwartzman vs Miomir Kecmanovic preview, head-to-head & prediction | French Open 2020
Match details
Fixture: Diego Schwartzman vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Date: 27 September 2020
Tournament: Roland Garros 2020
Round: First-round (Round of 128)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: Approx €38,000,000
Match timing: Approx. 6 pm CEST, 9.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - NBC Sports / Tennis Channel | India - Star Sports Select
Diego Schwartzman vs Miomir Kecmanovic preview
One of the more mouthwatering clashes in the opening round of the 2020 French Open will see Diego Schwartzman taking on Miomir Kecmanovic.
The Argentine has been in red-hot form recently, as evidenced by his win over Rafael Nadal at Rome, but Kecmanovic has also been raking up some good performances of late.
The Serb recently won his maiden career title at the Generali Open in Kitzbuhel, which would have given him lots of confidence. This will be Kecmanovic’s second appearance in the main draw at Roland Garros, and he would be keen to better his performance from last year (where he made the second round).
However, Diego Schwartzman stands as a significant hurdle in the way of that. The man from Buenos Aires is enjoying the finest run of form of his 10-year long career, and it won't be easy for Kecmanovic to get past him.
Schwartzman not only knocked out Rafael Nadal in straight sets at Rome, but he also withstood the attacking barrage of Denis Shapovalov in the semis. In the final, he went toe-to-toe with Novak Djokovic for a considerable period of time before ultimately falling short.
Almost all aspects of the Argentinian’s game have shown massive improvement lately. Be it counterpunching or striking first, Schwartzman has shown that he can do it all.
Diego Schwartzman vs Miomir Kecmanovic head-to-head
The head-to-head between Diego Schwartzman and Miomir Kecmanovic is currently at 0-0. This will be their first match-up on the tour.
Diego Schwartzman vs Miomir Kecmanovic prediction
Miomir Kecmanovic does not have a standout weapon in his arsenal, but relies on the all-round consistency of his game to do well. The Serb can hold his own in the longer rallies courtesy his impressive movement and footwork.
However, Kecmanovic will need a lot more than just accuracy or speed to unsettle Diego Schwartzman's rhythm. The Serb's backhand down the line will have to be on target if he hopes to catch Schwartzman off-guard, and he'll also have to approach the net whenever possible.
That said, it is unlikely that he will get many balls past the Argentine. Schwartzman has impeccable defense himself, from which he can transition to attack at the flick of a wrist.
Prediction: Diego Schwartzman to win in straight sets.