Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Barcelona match.
In the opening round of the tournament, Jaume Munar eliminated Frances Tiafoe, a seeded American player, and now places high expectations on his home tournament. His next opponent is Karen Khachanov, currently occupying 27th place in the ATP rankings.
Jaume Munar
It should be noted that Munar did not produce a particularly convincing display against Frances Tiafoe, despite securing a three-set win (2:6, 7:5, 6:1). He was outperformed in terms of attacking play, finishing behind 22-40 in winners. However, the American’s lack of stamina ultimately worked in Haume Monyar’s favour. In contrast, Karen Khachanov appears to be in much better physical condition. Also worth mentioning is Munar’s lacklustre form this spring, with three consecutive defeats to players ranked outside the ATP top 15 and failure to qualify for the Monte Carlo tournament.
Karen Khachanov
Karen Khachanov had to contend with technical delays in his opening match in Barcelona, which disrupted the schedule and affected his rhythm and focus. He lost the first set in a tiebreak, but recovered quickly, going on to dominate the rest of the contest to beat Cameron Norrie (6:7, 6:4, 6:3). Heading into this match, it is important to highlight that Karen Khachanov shares several strengths with Frances Tiafoe, particularly a strong forehand. However, his superior fitness could be the decisive factor.
Jaume Munar vs Karen Khachanov Prediction
Karen Khachanov’s performance in the first round suggests he is in excellent form. Considering Jaume Munar’s inconsistent results on clay – having dropped at least one set in four of his last five matches – Karen Khachanov should be regarded as the clear favourite.
