Madrid Open 2021: Jannik Sinner vs Guido Pella preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (14) Jannik Sinner vs Guido Pella

Date: 4 May 2021

Tournament: Mutua Madrid Open 2021

Round: First round (Round of 64)

Venue: Madrid, Spain

Category: ATP Masters 1000

Surface: Red clay

Prize money: €2,614,465

Match timing: 11 am local time, 2.30 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Jannik Sinner vs Guido Pella preview

Jannik Sinner is set to open his 2021 Mutua Madrid Open campaign with a first-round match against Argentina's Guido Pella on Tuesday.

Sinner, who is the 14th seed at this year's tournament, is fresh off a semifinal finish in Barcelona. Having also reached the Miami final earlier this year, the Italian will now be looking to continue his run of good form in the Spanish capital.

Guido Pella

Pella, meanwhile, has suffered a string of early exits at the start of this year's claycourt season. That said, the Argentine does have a strong baseline-oriented game that is tailor-made for the red dirt, a surface where he has ammassed a total of five ATP finals and one title.

Pella hasn't been able to bring his best tennis to most of his recent matches, but he definitely has the game to bother Sinner.

Jannik Sinner vs Guido Pella head-to-head

Jannik Sinner has been plauing some great tennis in recent months.

This is set to be the first career meeting between Jannik SInner and Guido Pella, so their current head-to-head stands at a 0-0 deadlock.

Jannik SInner vs Guido Pella prediction

Jannik SInner had already been playing some fine tennis in the first three months of 2021. But his semifinal run in Barcelona - where he scored wins over the likes of Andrey Rublev and Roberto Bautista Agut - would have come as as shot in his arm in the lead-up to Roland Garros.

The youngster enters the contest against Guido Pella as a firm favorite. But Sinner will need to be wary of the Argentine's claycourt skills, which he has honed over several years on the tour.

Pella did show glimpses of his best tennis in his match against Kei Nishikori in Barcelona, where he went down in three sets. The 30-year-old is no stranger to upsets either, having previously beaten the likes of Dominic Thiem and Marin Cilic.

Sinner will look to take control of the match from the get-go, and is unlikely to give his opponent any time to settle in. Pella could possibly hang around in the rallies and stay competitive for a set or two, but given his recent form, an upset here looks improbable.

Prediction: Jannik Sinner to win in two tight sets.