Gijon Open 2022: Andrey Rublev vs. Ilya Ivashka Tennis Pick and Prediction

TennisSection previews the 2022 Gijon Open as Andrey Rublev takes on Ilya Ivashka in the second round on Thursday, October 13th, 2022.

Will Andrey Rublev get the win as expected? Or will Ilya Ivashka upset the apple cart? This is a tough opener for the top-seeded Russian, so how will he fare on his Gijon Open debut?

Andrey Rublev has had a great season irrespective of his slight drop in the ATP rankings. He has compiled the second-highestwinning percentage of his career in 2022, winning 43 matches. Rublev is also in pole position to qualify for the ATP Finals next month. Despite his loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas in Astana, Rublevcollected a valuable 180 points at the event and closed the gap on the fifth-placed Daniil Medvedev in the Race to Turin. Could he solidify his position for the season-ending championships at the Gijon Open?

The Russian could have his hands full against the big-hitting Ilya Ivashka. The Belarusian star had a turbulent start to 2022 with injuries, but he has turned things around in the second half of the season. 22 match wins is a respectable return particularly for a player who was made to wait for his first win of the season until February. He has been pretty decent indoors, making the quarterfinals in Sofia at the end of September. Ivashka won his opening round at the Gijon Open, beating Spanish veteran FeliLopez in three sets.

Andrey Rublev leads Ilya Ivashka 2-0 in their head-to-head. Remarkably, both meetings took place on Russian soil at the St. Petersburg Open. On a neutral venue, you would expect Ivashkato have a slightly better look in at things at the Gijon Open. Naturally, he should be expected to dominate serve, but Rublev’s power off the ground makes him a much more reliable baseliner. This is hardly a stroll in the park for the top seed who will need to dig deep to outsmart the big-hitting Belarusian.