Lyon Open 2021: Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Lorenzo Musetti preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (7) Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Lorenzo Musetti

Date: 18 May 2021

Tournament: Lyon Open 2021

Round: First round (Round of 32)

Venue: Lyon, France

Category: ATP 250

Surface: Red clay

Prize money: €419,470

Match timing: 10.30 am local time, 8.30 am GMT, 4.30 am EST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Eurosport

Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Lorenzo Musetti preview

Seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime will be looking to get his season back on track when he takes on Lorenzo Musetti in the first round of the 2021 Lyon Open on Tuesday.

Auger-Aliassime gave a good account of himself in January, reaching the final of the Murray River Open (lost to Dan Evans) and the second week at the Australian Open (lost to Aslan Karatsev in the Round of 16). But the Canadian has had disappointing results since then, accumulating a 7-7 win-loss record across the spring hardcourt and European clay swings.

Having said that, Auger-Aliassime did show some signs of life during his campaign at the Italian Open last week.

The youngster defeated the tricky Filip Krajinovic in his opener, before thrashing World No. 10 Diego Schwartzman for the loss of just four games in the second round. And although he was upset by an inspired Federico Delbonis in his next match, Auger-Aliassime will have a fair few positives to take from his week in Rome.

Lorenzo Musetti

Lorenzo Musetti, meanwhile, has had a good start to the year given his age. The Italian was able to string together some impressive wins en route to reaching the semifinals in Acapulco, where he was beaten by Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Musetti has flown under the radar since. The 19-year-old reached the second round at Barcelona and Rome, incidentally losing to Auger-Aliassime himself at the former event.

It is also pertinent to note that it was Musetti's namesake Lorenzo Sonego who was originally supposed to take on Auger-Aliassime in Lyon. However, Sonego withdrew from the 250-level event after his semifinal run at the Italian Open.

Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Lorenzo Musetti head-to-head

Felix Auger-Aliassime leads Lorenzo Musetti 1-0 in their head-to-head rivalry. Their only encounter came in the second round of this year's Barcelona Open, where Auger-Aliassime came from a set down to win.

Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Lorenzo Musetti prediction

Felix Auger-Aliassime prepares for a backhand

Felix Auger-Aliassime has game that is well-suited to clay, but he is prone to committing uncharacteristic errors from his forehand side. That said, when the Canadian is hitting the sweet spot on his forehand, he can make life really difficult for most players.

Auger-Aliassime also has a stable backhand, which is an important stroke for him when it comes to redirecting the pace generated by his opponents.

Lorenzo Musetti, meanwhile, has an stunning one-handed backhand with which he can hit winners at will. The young Italian also possesses a strong forehand and boasts of technical acumen well beyond his years.

Musetti will be looking to tighten the noose around Auger-Aliassime with his intelligent shot selection. The 19-year-old has a brilliant slice too, which helps him in manipulating the pace of the rallies.

Auger-Aliassime does, however, have a lot more experience than Musetti, and that might play a big role in their upcoming match. The Canadian also happens to be a terrific mover, and will likely fend off everything the young Italian throws at him on Tuesday.

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