Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Miami ATP match.
Roman Safiullin begins his campaign at the hard-court Masters in Miami with a match against Jenson Brooksby. The Russian has a solid chance of progressing to the next round, but this will not be an easy walk in the park. Brooksby rarely surrenders without a fight, and his matches against top-100 players frequently go to three sets.
Roman Safiullin
Safiullin is ranked 71st in the ATP rankings. He has faced significant struggles this season, reaching the second round of a tournament only once—in Indian Wells. The Russian has lost to top-tier opponents (Alex De Minaur, Lorenzo Musetti, Tallon Griekspoor) but has fared better against players outside the top 100, winning four of six such encounters. Additionally, Safiullin tends to play lengthy matches: in six of his eight matches in 2025, the total games played exceeded 21.5.
Jenson Brooksby
The American is rebuilding his form after a two-year suspension and is currently ranked just 544th in the world. Brooksby has won three of his eight matches this year. However, he impressed in Indian Wells—defeating Félix Auger-Aliassime (No. 19) and putting up a fight against Jack Draper (No. 7). That said, Brooksby’s performance is highly dependent on the court surface: he thrived on the slow courts in California, but Miami’s faster conditions will favour the more aggressive Safiullin. Brooksby also tends to play tight matches, with the total exceeding 21.5 games in four of his seven encounters.
Roman Safiullin vs Jenson Brooksby Prediction
Safiullin plays faster and more aggressively on this type of surface, giving him the edge. However, both players frequently contest long matches, and neither will go down without a battle. The over 21.5 games bet seems like the best option, as this total can even be reached in two sets.
