Cologne 2: Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Egor Gerasimov preview, head-to-head & prediction | Bett1Hulks Championship 2020

Match details

Fixture: Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Egor Gerasimov

Date: 21 October 2020

Tournament: Bett1Hulks Championship 2020

Round: Second round (Round of 16)

Venue: Cologne, Germany

Category: ATP 250

Surface: Indoor hardcourt

Prize money: €325,610

Match timing: Approx. 8 pm CEST, 11.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel

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Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Egor Gerasimov preview

After a disastrous claycourt swing where he could record only one win in three tourneys, Felix Auger-Aliassime performed brilliantly in the bett1Hulks Indoors 2020 competition last week. The Canadian made it to the final of the tournament, where he lost to home favorite Alexander Zverev.

Auger-Aliassime got a bye in the first round of the Cologne 2 tournament, and he now faces a tricky challenge in the form of Egor Gerasimov. The Belarusian qualifier is on a three-match winning streak heading into this second-round match.

Egor Gerasimov

The 27-year-old from Minsk won a couple of three-setters in the qualifying rounds and followed that up with a clinical 6-1, 6-0 victory over Daniel Altmaier in the main draw. It is pertinent to note that Altmaier had made it to the fourth round of the 2020 Roland Garros not long ago.

Gerasimov has a decent record on the faster surfaces, with his best ever Grand Slam performances coming at this year's Australian Open and US Open. The World No. 87 reached the second round at both the Majors, and would be hoping to go one better at Cologne this week.

Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Egor Gerasimov head-to-head

The upcoming clash in Cologne will be the second meeting between Felix Auger-Aliassime and Egor Gerasimov on the ATP tour. The fifth-seeded Canadian currently leads the head-to-head 1-0.

The two players had faced each other in the Open 13 Provence quarterfinals earlier this year, where Auger-Aliassime won in straight sets.

Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Egor Gerasimov prediction

Felix Auger-Aliassime (L) and Alexander Zverev ahead of the final in the Cologne 1 event last week

Egor Gerasimov allowed Daniel Altmaier just one game in his last match, but Felix Auger-Aliassime is an entirely different class of opponent. The Canadian has enjoyed playing on the faster surfaces this year, and his performance in Cologne last week reinforces that.

Auger-Aliassime's serve and forehand are his biggest strengths; he can take the game away from anyone with the pace on these two shots. Gerasimov will have to bring his 'A' game to the table if he hopes to withstand the baseline barrage from the Canadian on Wednesday.

Prediction: Felix Auger-Aliassime to win in straight sets.