Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Twitter)
7th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas takes on compatriot Bernabe Zapata Miralles in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Rio Open on Friday.
The experienced Spaniard came into the tournament after a disappointing campaign in the Argentina Open where he crashed out in the first round following a loss to Roberto Carballes Baena. The 35-year-old did not have a great start to the Rio Open either, losing the first set in the first-round clash against Tomas Martin Etcheverry. However, a spirited fightback saw Ramos-Vinolas win the intriguing contest 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. The Argentine star managed to convert only 2 out of 20 break points, which didn’t help his cause.
In the round of 16, Ramos-Vinolas outplayed Daniel Elahi Galan. The match ended in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. Ramos-Vinolas had a win percentage of 85 on the first serve and converted 3 out of 5 break points.
The 26-year-old had a fine campaign in the Argentina Open. He lost to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals. In the round of 32 of the Rio Open, Zapata Miralles registered a relatively comfortable win against Jaume Munar. The match ended 6-3, 7-5.
In the round of 16, Zapata Miralles defeated 4th seed Francisco Cerundolo in three sets. The Spaniard lost the second set but played well to win the first and third sets convincingly. The match ended 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 in favor of Zapata Miralles.
The head-to-head scoreline currently stands at 0-0 as the two players have never faced each other yet.
Prediction: Albert Ramos-Vinolas to win in three sets.
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