US Open 2020: Pedro Martinez Portero vs Jan-Lennard Struff preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Pedro Martinez Portero vs Jan-Lennard Struff
Date: 31 August 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: Round of 128
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $39,024,000
Match timing: 7.30 pm EDT, 4.30 am IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports
Pedro Martinez vs Jan-Lennard Struff preview
28th seed Jan-Lennard Struff opens his campaign at the 2020 US Open against Spain's Pedro Martinez Portero.
Struff made it to the quarterfinal of the 2020 Cincinnati Masters earlier this month where he was beaten by Novak Djokovic. The German has a 10-6 win-loss record for the season.
Earlier in the season, Jan-Lennard Struff also made it to the quarterfinal of the ATP 500 tournament in Dubai in February in what has been one of his best results in the 2020 season so far.
Meanwhile, Pedro Martinez made it to the Round of 16 at the Mexican Open earlier this year where he was beaten by Stan Wawrinka in straight sets. Last week, the Spaniard fell to Marton Fucsovics in the second round of the Cincinnati qualifiers.
Buoyed by his recent performances, the 23-year-old Jan-Lennard Struff will be pumped ahead of his 2020 US Open opener against Martinez who will be making his debut at the tournament.
In his maiden Grand Slam appearance at the Australian Open earlier his year, Martinez defeated a higher ranked Dominik Koepfer in straight sets.
Pedro Martinez vs Jan-Lennard Struff head-to-head
Pedro Martinez and Jan-Lennard Struff have faced off once on the tour so far, albeit in the qualifying rounds of the 2016 Barcelona Open. Struff won that fixture 6-3, 7-6(4) to qualify for the tournament.
However, the duo hasn't faced off in the main draw of an ATP or Grand Slam tournament. So their head-to-head record stands at 0-0.
Pedro Martinez vs Jan-Lennard Struff prediction
While Pedro Martinez lost in the second round of the Cincinnati qualifiers, he will take confidence from his win over sixth-seed Steve Johnson in the first round. Jan-Lennard Struff, however, might prove to be a challenge too high for the Spaniard who is making only his third Grand Slam main-draw appearance.
Struff, meanwhile, has made six previous appearances at the US Open, with his best appearance at the tournament being a run to the third round in 2018 (lost to David Goffin).
The German player is currently ranked number 34 in the world, which is very close to his career-high ranking of 33. After suffering a humbling 6-3, 6-1 loss to eventual winner Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati, Jan-Lennard Struff will want to make a statement with a strong opening-round win at the US Open.
Predicton: Jan-Lennard Struff to win in straight sets.