ATP Delray Beach Open 2021: Frances Tiafoe vs Donald Young – Preview, Head-to-Head & Prediction

Eighth seed Frances Tiafoe is all set of face fellow American Donald Young in the round of 32 match at the ATP Delray Beach Open 2021. While this will be the first match for Tiafoe in 2021, Young has already played and won his qualifiers, and will look to make progress in this tournament.

Match Details:

• Date: 8th January, 2021
• Tournament: ATP Delray Beach Open 2021
• Fixture: Frances Tiafoe vs Donald Young
• Venue: Delray Beach, Florida, United States
• Round: Round of 32 (First round)
• Category: ATP 250
• Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
• Prize money: $349,530

Frances Tiafoe vs Donald Young: Match Preview

World no.62 Frances Tiafoe will play his first match since October, when he faces Donald Young. Tiafoe last played at the Astana Open, where he reached the final. But this wasn’t the first final that Tiafoe reached in 2020. He was also the runner-up at the Parma Challenger in Italy. His other good performance in 2020 included his round of 16 qualification at the US Open. Another one of those performances was his quarterfinal appearance at the very same Delray Beach Open. He will look to reach and better his performance from last year when he takes the court in Florida.

Donald Young enters this match after two tough three-setter wins against Brazilian Pedro Sakamoto and another American Stefan Kozlov in the qualifiers. As compared Tiafoe, Young had been out of action for a longer period. His last game, before Delray Beach Open, was at the Monterrey Challenger way back in March 2020. He was trounced by Spain’s Pablo Andujar in the round of 32 clash at that tournament. Young’s victory over Kozlov and Sakamoto are a positive sign, as he prepares to face Tiafoe.

Frances Tiafoe vs Donald Young: Head-to-Head

Tiafoe and Young have locked horns twice in the past, but haven’t met at the tour level. Their first encounter was at the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in 2016. Tiafoe defeated Young in the quarterfinal of that competition, on his way to the finals appearance. They next met at that year’s Queen’s Club Championships, where Young restored parity by defeated Tiafoe in straights sets in the qualifier.

Their match at Delray Beach will decide who takes the lead in the head-to-head contest.

Frances Tiafoe vs Donald Young: Match Prediction

Both the players have a good history at this tournament. Tiafoe is a former winner, as he won the Delray Beach open in 2018, while Young was the 2015 runner-up. But current form will be a huge factor in this match. As mentioned above, Tiafoe is in good touch and Young, in contrast, has only played a couple of matches in almost 10 months. Tiafoe’s aggressive style of play and his strong forehands will give him an upper hand in this match. Young is a counter-punching specialist and will rely on his court craft to outsmart Tiafoe. Fatigue might also play a factor in this game. Young has played two laborious three-setter, which will surely impact his freshness, while Tiafoe will enter his clash with full fitness and energy.

Tiafoe, who won the 2020 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian award, will surely have an advantage in this fixture, and will be able to get past Young to book his place in the third round.

Match Prediction: Frances Tiafoe will win this match in straight sets.

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