Match details
Fixture: Diego Schwartzman vs Laslo Djere
Date: 11 September 2020
Tournament: ATP Generali Open 2020
Round: Quarterfinal
Venue: Kitzbuhel, Austria
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: €400,335
Match timing: 12.30 pm CEST, 4 pm IST
Diego Schwartzman vs Laslo Djere preview
World No. 13 Diego Schwartzman has struggled with post-lockdown blues, having failed to go deep in any tournament since the resumption of the tour. He will be eager to get his season back on track in Kitzbuhel, as he takes on Serbia's Laslo Djere for a place in the semifinals of the 2020 Generali Open.
The Argentine was quarantined at home for around three months in accordance with the lockdown rules in his country, and couldn't get in much match practice during that time. When he returned at the Cincinnati Masters, he was mowed down by the big-serving Reilly Opelka in the second round.
Schwartzman's US Open series only got worse from here, as he wasted a two-sets-to-love lead in a first round loss to the unseeded Cameron Norrie at the 2020 US Open.
That is a far cry from Schwartzman's form at the beginning of the season, where he reached the fourth round at the 2020 Australian Open and the final in Cordoba.
World No. 81 Laslo Djere did not enjoy a great American hardcourt swing either, losing in the opening round of the 2020 Western & Southern Open qualifiers. He followed that up with a demoralizing defeat in the US Open first round, at the hands of Australia's Christopher O'Connell.
Djere started his season on the back of a strong 2019, where he won his maiden ATP Tour title at the Rio Open. The former World No. 27 has shown glimpses of that kind of form in Kitzbuhel this week, where he has beaten strong opponents like Jannik Sinner and Albert Ramos-Vinolas to reach the quarterfinals.
Diego Schwartzman vs Laslo Djere head-to-head
Diego Schwartzman leads Laslo Djere by a margin of 2-0 in the head-to-head. Their most recent encounter came this year in Cordoba, where the Argentine triumphed in three sets.
The pair had also faced off a year ago in the second round at Cincinnati, where Schwartzman came out on top.
Diego Schwartzman vs Laslo Djere prediction
Diego Schwartzman heads into this match as the favorite on paper, owing to his superior ranking. The 5'7" stalwart is known to be the best pound-for-pound hitter on the tour, with solid groundstrokes off both wings.
Laslo Djere has a solid game too, and his backhand is one of the most eye-catching shots in the game. Djere is capable of striking the ball with pace and precision off his trusty two-hander, and he will look to use that shot to dominate the crosscourt exchanges against the Argentine.
But while Djere has the tools to do well on clay, Schwartzman is a notch higher given his experience and court smarts. The 28-year-old will likely have too much speed and firepower for the Serb to handle on Friday.
Prediction: Diego Schwartzman to win in straight sets.