Vienna 2024: Alex de Minaur vs Flavio Cobolli preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Erste Bank Open
Match Details
Fixture: (2) Alex de Minaur vs Flavio Cobolli
Date: 24 October 2024
Tournament: Erste Bank Open 2024
Round: Second-round (Round of 16)
Venue: Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Hard-court (Indoor)
Winner's Prize Money: €2,470,310
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Alex de Minaur vs Flavio Cobolli preview
Second seed Alex de Minaur will face World No. 31 Flavio Cobolli in a highly anticipated second-round clash at the 2024 Erste Bank Open on Thursday, October 24.
De Minaur has missed much of the latter half of the season, having participated in just three events leading up to Vienna. His most recent outing was at the European Open in Antwerp, where he reached the quarterfinals, losing to Hugo Gaston in a tight three-set battle. The Australian boasts a 42-14 match record this season, highlighted by titles in Acapulco and 's-Hertogenbosch.
De Minaur faced Jan-Lennard Struff in his Vienna opener. Despite a slow start that saw him lose the first set after being broken twice, he bounced back quickly, breaking Struff in the first game of the second set and dominating from there to send the match into a decider. De Minaur maintained control from there on, overpowering a fatigued Struff to secure a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory.
Cobolli, on the contrary, has been in fine form during the second half of the season, having reached the finals in Washington, the quarterfinals in Beijing, and the third rounds in Cincinnati and New York. His last appearance was at the Shanghai Masters, where he beat Stan Wawrinka before falling to Novak Djokovic in the second round.
Cobolli began his Vienna campaign with a hard-fought 7-6(1), 6-3 win over World No. 62 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in an hour and 34 minutes.
Alex de Minaur vs Flavio Cobolli head-to-head
Alex de Minaur holds a slender 1-0 lead over Flavio Cobolli in their head-to-head matchups, having won their only encounter yet 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 at the Australian Open earlier this year.
Alex de Minaur vs Flavio Cobolli odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Alex de Minaur vs Flavio Cobolli prediction
Alex de Minaur was slow to get off the blocks in his opener at the Erste Bank Open but delivered some remarkable tennis once he found his rhythm. He won 75% of his first-serve points, fired 7 aces, and struck 28 winners against just 15 unforced errors en route to the win. He was also clinical on the offensive, converting 4 of 6 break-point chances and winning 75% of his net points.
Flavio Cobolli also put on an impressive display in his opening match. He won 71% of his first-serve points and an even more impressive 76% on his second-serve while hitting 5 aces. He also remained unbroken throughout the match, saving all 3 break points he faced. Like De Minaur, he won 75% of his net points. A notable issue in his game, however, was the disparity between his 20 winners and 42 unforced errors, which could prove costly against a player of De Minaur's caliber.
de Minaur enters this contest with an impressive 25-8 hardcourt record for the season, highlighted by one title. In comparison, Cobolli holds a 22-14 record, with a runner-up finish marking his best result on the surface. While Cobolli has played more matches recently, de Minaur brings more experience to the table, an edge that could prove decisive given their similar playing styles. Moreover, Cobolli has faced significant challenges against top 10 opponents this year, failing to secure a single victory. This gives de Minaur a clear advantage going into their match.
Pick: De Minaur to win in straight sets.