US Open 2020: Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Albert Ramos Vinolas
Date: 31 August 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: First Round (Round of 128)
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 / Hotstar
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Albert Ramos Vinolas preview
Fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas begins his US Open 2020 campaign against Spanish southpaw Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
The 22-year-old Greek enters the second Grand Slam of the season on the back of a run to the semifinal of the recently concluded Western & Southern Open. With 16 match wins to his name this season and one title, Tsitsipas is widely tipped to make a deep run at Flushing Meadows.
Stefanos Tsitsipas kicked off his season with defeats in two of his three matches at the inaugural ATP Cup, before exiting the Australian Open in the third round. However, the reigning ATP Finals champion quickly turned his season around, making it to the last 16 in Rotterdam and the final in Dubai either side of his successful title defense in Marseille.
Following the extended COVID-19 break, Tsitsipas returned to competitive action at the Western & Southern Open last week and looked in decent touch before losing to Milos Raonic in the semis.
Albert Ramos-Vinolas, on the other hand, started his season at the Adelaide Open - where he lost to American Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals. After going down to Alex Bolt in his Australian Open opener, the Spanish veteran played all four tournaments in the Latin American Golden Swing.
His best showing there was a semifinal appearance in Santiago (lost to Casper Ruud).
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas head-to-head
Stefanos Tsitsipas holds the edge in the head-to-head by a 2-0 margin. The Greek defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the round of 16 at Barcelona 2018, and the round of 32 at Basel a year later.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas prediction
Albert Ramos-Vinolas has won only two matches on hardcourt this year as opposed to Tsitsipas' 14. Moreover, he has failed to progress beyond the first round of a Grand Slam in his last seven attempts, a run that includes two straight sets defeats at the US Open.
On the other hand, Stefanos Tsitsipas is one of the handful of players looking to make the most of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's absence and win his first Grand Slam singles title.
Tsitsipas, like Ramos-Vinolas, also lost in the first round of the US Open last year. However, the Greek's superior pedigree on hardcourt and better recent form should see him comfortably take out the Spaniard and reach the second round.
Prediction: Stefanos Tsitsipas to win in straight sets.