The in-form Frances Tiafoe locks horns with world No. 80 Bernabe Zapata Miralles in the round of 16 of the Japan Open on Thursday.
Frances Tiafoe
The American tennis pro has managed to pull off some impressive results this season, especially in the second half. Tiafoe impressed everyone with a dominant showing at the US Open. He defeated the legendary Rafael Nadal in the third round and made it to his first semifinal at a major event where he lost to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
The 24-year-old came to Japan after a solid come-from-behind victory against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Laver Cup. Tiafoe played a vital role for Team World during their triumphant run at the fifth edition of the tournament. In the round of 32 of the Japan Open, Tiafoe made light work of Japan’s Yasutaka Uchiyama. The fourth seed won the match 6-3, 6-4.
Bernabe Zapata Miralles
The standout moment for the Spaniard this season came at the French Open, where he made it to the round of 16 with wins against the likes of Taylor Fritz and John Isner among others. The 25-year-old played in the recently-concluded Sofia Open. However, his run did not last long as he lost to Lorenzo Sonego in the round of 32 in straight sets.
In the first round of the Japan Open, Miralles defeated Japan’s Taro Daniel in a closely-contested two-set encounter. The scoreline was 7-5, 7-5 in favor of the Spaniard.
Head-to-Head and Prediction
The head-to-head scoreline currently stands at 0-0 as Frances Tiafoe and Bernabe Zapata Miralles are yet to cross paths.
Prediction: Frances Tiafoe to win in straight sets.
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