Istanbul Challenger 2021: Thiago Seyboth Wild vs Mohamed Safwat preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: Thiago Seyboth Wild vs Mohamed Safwat

Date: 18 January 2021

Tournament: Amex-Istanbul Challenger 2021

Round: First round (Round of 32)

Venue: Istanbul, Turkey

Category: ATP Challenger

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: €132,280

Thiago Seyboth Wild vs Mohamed Safwat preview

Rising star Thiago Seyboth Wild will look to overcome the disappointment of not qualifying for the Australian Open when he takes on Mohamed Safwat in the opening round of the 2021 Istanbul Challenger.

The Brazilian is seeded second at this event, which features several other budding prospects like Lorenzo Musetti, Brandon Nakashima and Marc-Andrea Huesler.

Thiago Seyboth Wild is currently experiencing a major slump, as evidenced by his ongoing eight-match losing streak. After lifting his maiden ATP title last year in Santiago - defeating Cristian Garin and Casper Ruud along the way - Seyboth Wild has really struggled on tour.

Not only did the Brazilian lose in the opening round of the US Open, but he also did his reputation no favors by failing to qualify for the French Open. 2020 ended on an even more sour note as Seyboth Wild fell in the opening round at two separate Challenger events in Brazil (Campinas & Sao Paulo).

2021 hasn’t begun well for the youngster either. He lost in the opening qualifying round of the Australian Open to Robin Haase - a player ranked about 80 spots below him.

Mohamed Safwat

Mohamed Safwat meanwhile is a seasoned campaigner on the Challenger and Futures circuit, boasting 45 final appearances and 25 titles.

The 30-year-old is ranked 153rd in the world, which is behind Seyboth Wild’s ranking of 117. However, the Egyptian is considerably more experienced and is also in better form than Seyboth Wild.

At the Australian Open qualifying event, Safwat made the second round before losing to Kimmer Coppejans. And at the Challenger event in Campinas - where Seyboth Wild failed to register a win - the 30-year-old reached the quarterfinals, defeating Thomaz Bellucci along the way.

Thiago Seyboth Wild vs Mohamed Safwat head-to-head

The head-to-head between Thiago Seyboth Wild and Mohamed Safwat is currently 0-0 as they have never faced each other before on the tour.

Thiago Seyboth Wild vs Mohamed Safwat prediction

Thiago Seyboth Wild

In theory, Thiago Seyboth Wild should excel on quick courts given his propensity to hit hard and deep. However, the Brazilian has come a cropper on the surface in recent times.

Seyboth Wild is finding it difficult to keep the ball in play right now, and he will likely struggle against Safwat in most exchanges unless he finishes the point early.

The Brazilian could possibly try taking the ball on the rise in this match to get out of the rut he is in. Mixing up his shots and making good use of the drop shot could also come in handy for Seyboth Wild, seeing how the Egyptian often positions himself well behind the baseline.

But considering Seyboth Wild’s recent form, it seems unlikely that he will be able to get past the challenge of an experienced campaigner such as Mohamed Safwat.

Prediction: Mohamed Safwat to win in three sets.