Tsitsipas in straight sets
Ah, tennis...the sport where the only love you're getting might just be a disappointing zero on the scoreboard. On the hot sands of Dubai, we've got a fun little rendezvous in the making. A little tête-à-tête if you will, between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Lorenzo Sonego. Now, I don't play favorites but I can't ignore the numbers.
Tsitsipas, you know him, seeded 4 in this tournament, struts on the court like a Greek God with a racquet instead of a trident. Our good man Lorenzo, however, doesn't have the luxury of a tournament seed to his name. You could say this is a classic David and Goliath scenario, but David’s slingshot has seemed a tad rusty recently.
Going back to their last encounter, Stefanos didn't just beat Sonego, he bulldozed him 2 sets to love. Definitely not something you forget over your morning espresso.
Since their encounter, the lovely inconsistency of Sonego's performance has been as unpredictable as a reality TV show ending. Humbert U. delivered an ‘au revoir’ in straight sets, Van De Zandschulp tasted defeat, but then, Rune H. and Shelton B. both handed L. Sonego a neat little package of loss.
On the other side of the net, even Tsitsipas with all his Greek charm has been having his fair share of hiccups. Recent defeats at the hands of Međedović and Bellucci could make Tsitsipas fans a little jittery. However, victories against Griekspoor and Mayot do add a silver lining.
At the end of the day, stats are as sobering as an ice-cold shower. All these factors, villains and underdogs stories considered, my call has to go where the sunshine's brightest - on Tsitsipas.
Albert’s Prediction: Tsitsipas in straight sets