Maharashtra Open 2022: Emil Ruusuvuori vs Joao Sousa preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (6) Emil Ruusuvuori vs Joao Sousa

Date: 6 February 2022

Tournament: Tata Open Maharashtra

Round: Final

Venue: Pune, India

Category: ATP 250

Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt

Prize money: $493,875

Match timing: Not before 5.30 pm local time, 12 pm GMT, 7 am EST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Star Sports, Jio TV and Disney Plus | Official Facebook, Twitter pages and YouTube channel of the Maharashtra Open

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Emil Ruusuvuori vs Joao Sousa preview

Emil Ruusuvuori at the 2021 Miami Open.

Sixth seed Emil Ruusuvuori will square off against Joao Sousa for the 2022 Maharashtra Open title on Sunday.

Ruusuvuori defeated Kamil Majchrzak 6-3, 7-6(0) to reach his maiden ATP final. Both players comfortably held serve in the opening set for the first seven games, before the Finn secured the decisive break in the eighth game and served out the set.

The second set had plenty of momentum shifts. Both players held break points on each other's serve, but couldn't capitalize. Majchrzak was the first to secure a break in the eighth game and served for the set at 5-3, but failed to hold his nerve and allowed the Finn back into the contest.

Ruusuvuori managed to force a tie-break, where he switched gears to win seven points in a row to clinch the match and reach the final.

Joao Sousa at the 2021 BNP Paribas Open.

Joao Sousa, meanwhile, battled for more than three hours before securing a 5-7, 7-6(4), 7-5 win over Elias Ymer. He saved three match points in the final set to seal a berth in his first final since winning the 2018 Estoril Open.

Sousa was constantly on the backfoot throughout the match but never gave up. He was down a double break in the opening set but leveled the score at 5-5, before dropping serve once again. The second set was also a topsy-turvy affair, with the Portuguese coming out on top in a tie-break.

Both players held serve for the first nine games of the deciding set. Serving to stay in the match at 4-5, Sousa saved three match points. He managed to break Ymer in the next game and serve out the match.

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Emil Ruusuvuori vs Joao Sousa head-to-head

This will be the first meeting between Ruusuvuori and Sousa, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.

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Emil Ruusuvuori vs Joao Sousa prediction

Emil Ruusuvuori at the Truist Atlanta Open.

Both players will be eager to cap off an amazing week with the title in Maharashtra. Ruusuvuori has not dropped a single set en route to his maiden ATP final. He has also lost his serve just thrice so far.

Sousa, on the other hand, has had to work really hard to reach the title clash. Apart from his quarterfinal, he's gone the distance in every other match.

The Portuguese has already won more matches in this tournament than the last two years combined, but after a lengthy battle in the semifinals, fatigue could hinder him in the title clash.

Ruusuvuori is thus the favorite to lift his first ATP trophy on Sunday.

Prediction: Emil Ruusuvuori to win in straight sets.