US Open 2020: Frances Tiafoe vs Marton Fucsovics preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Frances Tiafoe vs Marton Fucsovics
Date: 5 September 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $39,024,000
Match timing: 3 pm EDT, 12.30 am IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Frances Tiafoe vs Marton Fucsovics preview
Frances Tiafoe continues his run at the 2020 US Open, after knocking out John Millman in five sets. Tiafoe will now face Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in the third round.
Fucsovics himself required five sets to upset the higher-ranked Grigor Dimitrov. The talented Hungarian has gone under the radar at times this year despite putting up a few impressive performances. Fucsovics managed to reach the fourth round at the Australian Open, before losing out to Roger Federer.
In the recently concluded Western & Southern Open too, Fucsovics won four matches in a row (including qualifying matches). Needless to say, he will be high on confidence when he goes up against Tiafoe.
Frances Tiafoe, on the other hand, has had a forgettable year so far. He also had a poor showing at the Cincinnati Masters, where he lost in his very first match to Andy Murray.
That said, he has knocked out Andreas Seppi and the dangerous John Millman so far, which goes to show that the young American is quickly learning from his mistakes.
Tiafoe has already exceeded all expectations by making it this far, considering he had contracted the COVID-19 virus in July. The dreaded disease has adversely affected the physical health of several sportspersons around the world, but Tiafoe has displayed great determination to fight through the obstacles and get back to winning ways.
Frances Tiafoe vs Marton Fucsovics head-to-head
Martin Fucsovics leads Frances Tiafoe by a margin of 2-0 in the head-to-head. Their most recent encounter took place in Doha this year, where Fucsovics won in three sets (6-4, 4-6, 6-4).
Incidentally, that match was also played on a hardcourt.
Frances Tiafoe vs Marton Fucsovics prediction
The young American is one of the most exciting players on the tour, but a lack of consistency has hindered him from achieving as much success as expected. When on song, his forehand as well as backhand are a treat to watch.
Tiafoe executes both these shots with a slightly abbreviated back-swing, but is still able to generate massive amounts of power. He also excels at playing low returns due to his stance, and won’t face too many problems with Fucsovics’ flatter shots.
The Hungarian's strengths lie in his speed and endurance. Fucsovics is one of those rare players who can chase down balls all day long and keep rallies going. His backhand slice is a potent weapon at slowing down the pace of rallies - something that Tiafoe thrives on.
The fitness of both players could come into play, especially as this has all the makings of a five-setter. And that is where Fucsovics could outlast the error-prone American.
Prediction: Marton Fucsovics to win in five sets.