TennisSection previews the 2021 Swedish Open as Radu Albot meets Holger Rune in the First Round on Tuesday July 13th, 2021.
The ATP Tour returns to action in Bastad for the 2021 Swedish Open, after the excitement of Wimbledon. We have an intriguing match here in the First Round, where Romanian Radu Albot will face Wild Card Holger Rune of Denmark. This is a classic match between youth and experience, and it is expected to be a fierce battle. Can the 18 year old cause the upset over the Romanian veteran? Or will Radu Albot win here as expected and advance to the Round of 16 here in Bastad?
Radu Albot is a veteran of the ATP Tour, and is currently ranked #93. The Romanian has found the going tough over the past few seasons, and will be hoping for a strong showing here at the 2021 Swedish Open to kick star his career. Other than a surprising run to the Final in Singapore he has again been in very poor form, and has lost in the First or Qualifying Round in his past eight tournaments. While he is in poor form he still should not be underestimated, as he has a wealth of experience and is still capable of some outstanding tennis. Albot’s confidence will have taken a battering over the past few seasons, but he should still be considered the favorite here over the Holger Rune of Denmark. The youngster has shown lots of promise but has not yet displayed much consistency on the ATP Tour.
Holger Rune is currently ranked #219 on the ATP Tour, and enters the 2021 Swedish Open as a Wild Card. The former junior world number one has shown flashes of his potential since turning pro, including a surprising run to the Quarter-Finals in Santiago earlier this year. Rune will be hoping that this will be the scene of yet another breakthrough, but is in for a stern test in the form of former #39 Radu Albot in the First Round. The young Dane is a very attacking player, using his strong serve and powerful forehand to dominate his opponents from the baseline. He is also at home on the clay, as evidenced by his 2019 Junior French Open title. While he is the underdog here, he is facing a former top 50 that is in a serious slump, and this is a great opportunity for an upset.
This will be the first meeting between the two players on the ATP Tour, and I am expecting a very close and entertaining battle. This is quite a difficult match to predict, due to Rune’s inexperience and Albot’s prolonged poor form. On paper this looks like a routine win for Radu Albot as he is ranked over 100 spots ahead of his opponent, but it is really tough to trust him given his shocking performances. I am actually going to back the young Danish star Holger Rune to get the win here. The youngster has displayed tremendous potential and maturity in his brief time on the tour, and his performance in Santiago has indicated what he is capable of. Albot is certainly capable of some good tennis and if he gets hot he can win here, but Rune’s career trajectory is firmly pointing up, and I expect him to cause the upset here, advancing to the Round of 16 here at the 2021 Swedish Open.
Free Tennis Pick and Prediction: Holger Rune to win
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