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Match details
Fixture: (7) Carlos Alcaraz vs Federico Delbonis.
Date: 17 February, 2022.
Tournament: Rio Open.
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
Venue: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Category: ATP 500.
Surface: Outdoor claycourt.
Prize money: $1,815,115.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Tennis TV.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Federico Delbonis preview
Seventh seed Carlos Alcaraz will square off against Argentina's Federico Delbonis in the second round of the 2022 Rio Open on Thursday.
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Alcaraz had to stage a comeback to defeat compatriot Jaume Munar 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the first round. The teenager started the match on a strong note as he went 2-0 up. However, he lost the next six games in a row to lose the opening set.
Alcaraz stepped up his level considerably over the course of the match, as he didn't lose serve over the next two sets to win the contest.
This is his second tournament of the year. He previously competed at the Australian Open, where he made it to the third round and lost to Matteo Berrettini. After losing the first two sets against the Italian, he won the next two. The Spaniard came up short in the final set tie-break, but played a brilliant match nevertheless.
Federico Delbonis defeated Daniel Elahi Galan 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the first round to commence his Rio Open campaign. He started the match on the backfoot, but raised his level as the match progressed to eventually win it.
Delbonis lost to eventual winner Casper Ruud in the semifinals of the Argentina Open last week. He started the year well by winning two of his three group ties in the ATP Cup. However, the Argentinian then made three consecutive first-round exits before finally winning a match last week.
Delbonis will be feeling quite confident after last week's result and he'll be eager to continue that momentum.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Federico Delbonis head-to-head
This will be the duo's first meeting on tour, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Federico Delbonis prediction
Alcaraz hasn't played much this year and this is his first clay tournament of the year. However, based on his past performances, he'll have a slight edge over his opponent heading into this encounter.
Delbonis, on the other hand, has enough matches under his belt in 2022. He'll be buoyed by his semifinal showing at last week's Argentina Open. The 31-year-old is quite at home on clay and will aim for another good result on the surface.
As a left-handed player, Delbonis' hits his serve with some wicked angles that makes life more difficult for his opponents. He's steady from the baseline with solid groundstrokes. However, compared to Alcaraz, his groundstrokes don't exactly pack a punch. The Spaniard's court coverage is impeccable as well.
Alcaraz's serve is also more reliable and doesn't desert him often during crunch times. The teenager's aggressive brand of tennis is likely to bother Delbonis, who could have a tough time keeping up with his younger opponent after a while.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz to win in straight sets.
Also Check Out: Rio Open Schedule 2022
