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Match Details
Fixture: (5) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs (SE) Reilly Opelka
Date: July 25, 2024
Tournament: Atlanta Open 2024
Round: Second Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Atlantic Station, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $756,020
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN+
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Reilly Opelka preview
Fifth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will take on Reilly Opelka in the second round of the Atlanta Open 2024.
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Fokina's grass swing came to a disappointing end after he was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon due to an injury. He returned to action following a brief hiatus at the Atlanta Open, where he faced Arthur Cazaux in the first round.
The Spaniard took charge of the opening set and broke his opponent's serve twice to take the set. The second set was more competitive, though Davidovich Fokina got the upper hand in the end as he came out on top in the tie-break to win the match 6-2, 7-6 (4).
Opelka made his comeback after a two-year hiatus at last week's Hall of Fame Open, where he reached the semifinals. He was drawn against fellow American Aleksandar Kovacevic in the first round of the Atlanta Open.
A lone break of serve in Opelka's favor proved to be more than enough for him to clinch the first set. The two matched each other shot for shot in the second set, and it was the 26-year-old who had the last laugh in the end. He edged out his opponent in the tie-break to score a 6-3, 7-6 (5) win.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Reilly Opelka head-to-head
This will be the first career meeting between the two, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Reilly Opelka odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Reilly Opelka prediction
Despite being away for nearly two years, Opelka's game hasn't been affected that much. His comeback is off to a promising start and after a semifinal finish at the Hall of Fame Open last week, he looks poised for another deep run here.
Opelka's serve did most of the heavy lifting against Kovacevic in the previous round. He rained down 19 aces, winning 86 percent of his first serve points, and didn't drop his serve even once.
Davidovich Fokina had a pretty good day on serve himself. He fired 11 aces, won 83 percent of points on the back of his first serve, and saved all five break points that he faced against Cazaux.
Neutralizing Opelka's huge serve would be key for Davidovich Fokina. Unless he's able to work his magic by getting the ball back in play and prolonging the rally, the Spaniard is going to be on the back foot. However, the American looks to be in great shape and extremely focused, and if he maintains this level of intensity, then it is going to be quite difficult to beat him.
Pick: Reilly Opelka to win in three sets.
