TennisSection previews the 2022 Melbourne Open as Grigor Dimitrov takes on Facundo Bagnis in the second round on Thursday, January 6th, 2022.
Will Grigor Dimitrov get the win and much-needed momentum ahead of the Australian Open? Or will Facundo Bagnis prove he is not a one-trick pony after his stunning win over Andy Murray at the 2022 Melbourne Open? Let us take a look at this second-round match that has completely gone against the script.
Grigor Dimitrov was widely expected to take on Andy Murray in a blockbuster second-round match at the 2022 Melbourne Open when the draw came out. But Facundo Bagnis dealt Murray a major setback in his Australian Open preparations, saving 11 out of 13 break points and completed a three-set win. Dimtrov, by virtue of being the number three seed, received a bye in his opening round. That gave the Bulgarian plenty of time to hit the practice courts and fine-tune his game ahead of schedule. Dimitrov has an excellent record Down Under. The Happy Slam is Dimitrov’s most productive Major. He is 28-11 and has made the quarterfinals or better on four occasions including his best result here – the semifinal in 2017.
Facundo Bagnis gave Murray the runaround and picked up one of the finest wins of his career. Bagnis had never before beaten a former World No. 1, but made Murray pay for his lackluster display at the 2022 Melbourne Open. The Scotsman had reached the final of the Mubadala Championship in Abu Dhabi last month, besting Rafael Nadal in the semifinals, but he was a shadow of his old self for large patches of this contest. Bagnis punished him for his poor ball toss and low serving numbers. The Argentine clay-courter secured a crucial break in the fifth game of the final set.
Grigor Dimitrov and Facundo Bagnis have not played each other at tour level before this match. However, the pair crossed paths on the ATP Challenger Tour 12 years ago. Dimitrov won that contest in straight sets at the Cremona Challenger. A lot has changed as far as the trajectory of their careers is concerned. Dimitrov is a fully fledged main tour competitor, while Bagnis continues toiling in the second-tier tournaments. The Bulgarian is the superior player owing to his elegant one-handed backhand. He can mix it up with a dexterous slice that completely neutralizes the pace on the ball. Dimitrov might not need to operate at 100% here, but he cannot afford an error-strewn performance. Nonetheless, I am backing the Bulgarian to avoid an upset.
Free Tennis Pick and Prediction: Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets.
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