TennisSection previews the 2021 Croatia Open as Radu Albot meets Holger Rune in the First Round on Monday July 19th, 2021.
For the second time in as many weeks, Moldovan Radu Albot and Holger Rune of Denmark will face off on the ATP Tour. They played last week at the Swedish Open, and will again meet at the 2021 Croatia Open in Umag. The young Danish star was able to get a hard-fought three set win last week, can he repeat again here? Or will the veteran Radu Albot settle the score and advance to the Round of 16?
Radu Albot is currently ranked #91 on the ATP Tour and is unseeded at the 2021 Croatia Open in Umag. The Moldovan is a veteran of the tour, with one title to his name which he won in Delray Beach. Other than a Finals appearance n Singapore, he has been woeful this season, and has failed to reach the Second Round in his past nine tournaments. Albot is still a very solid player, but it seems that he is playing without confidence, which is understandable given the last few seasons that he’s had. He will be out for revenge here against Holger Rune, with the youngster defeating him last week in Bastad. Albot should still be considered the slight favorite, but he certainly is up against it here in Umag.
Holger Rune is currently ranked #211 on the ATP Tour, and is also unseeded here at the 2021 Croatia Open. The young Dane is one of the most promising youngsters on tour at the moment and is certainly a name to watch for the future. While he has had an inconsistent season so far he has flashed his immense potential at times, most notably with his run to the Quarter-Finals in Santiago and his win over his current opponent Radu Albot last week at the Swedish Open. He is a very attacking player his serve has consistently be improving, so while he is yet again considered the betting underdog, he has a very real chance of getting his second win over Albot in as many weeks.
This will be the second meeting between the two players, with Holger Rune winning their only meeting last week in Bastad. I am expecting a similar story here, with a very close match the likely outcome. Rune has the advantage when it comes to power and form, but Radu Albot’s vast experience cannot be discounted. As was the case last week, this match really can go either way, but I am again backing the young Swede. His confidence will be very high despite his crushing defeat to Casper Ruud, and I think he will win here, advancing to the Round of 16 here at the 2021 Croatia Open.
Free Tennis Pick and Prediction: Holger Rune to win in three sets
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