French Open 2021: Rafael Nadal vs Alexei Popyrin – Preview, Head to Head and Prediction
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French Open 2021
Rafael Nadal, third seed at French Open 2021 will face the Australian, Alexei Popyrin in the first round clash on Sunday. The Spaniard is the defending champion in Paris, and is chasing his 14th title at the French Open this year. Nadal is ranked third in the world, whereas, Popyrin is ranked 62nd in the ATP Rankings.
Match Details:
| Tournament | French Open 2021 |
| Match | Rafael Nadal vs Alexei Popyrin |
| Round | First Round |
| Date | 30th May, 2021 |
| Prize Money | $72,630 (INR 52,75,625 approx.) |
| Venue | Paris, France |
| Surface | Clay Court |
Rafael Nadal vs Alexei Popyrin: Match Preview
Rafael Nadal has been handed a tricky draw at French Open 2021. The Spaniard is in the same half of the draw as Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. The 34-year old last played at the Italian Open 2021, where he defeated Novak Djokovic in a thrilling three set final. Nadal also claimed the Barcelona Open title, after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in another epic final. Nadal would be confident of his game, heading into the French Open 2021, after his recent exploits.
Alexei Popyrin last played at the Italian Open 2021, where he was defeated in the qualifiers itself. The Australian was also defeated in the third round of the Madrid Masters by Rafael Nadal in straight sets. Popyrin also competed at the Serbia Open 2021, where he was defeated in the second round by Gianluca Mager.
Rafael Nadal vs Alexei Popyrin: Head-to-Head
The two players have faced against each other on only one occasion. Rafael Nadal defeated the Australian in the third round of the Madrid Masters 2021, and leads the head to head encounter, 1-0.
Rafael Nadal vs Alexei Popyrin: Match Prediction
Rafael Nadal is the certain favorite to claim the first round victory on Sunday. The Spaniard won the French Open last year, without dropping a single set. The Spaniard’s serve had improved at the Italian Open 2021, and he consistently won points on his first serve. The 34-year old will hope to start his campaign in style, by securing a straight sets victory over Alexei Popyrin. Nadal has often played far from the baseline, in order to counter the opponent’s serve. One can expect him to use the same strategy in Paris.
Match Prediction: Rafael Nadal to win in straight sets
Also Read: REVEALED! Rafael Nadal’s potential path to his 14th French Open title
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Nirmit Mehta
(2425 Articles Published)