After a fantastic week of tennis at the Stuttgart Open, we have finally reached the final. But will Felix Auger-Aliassime win the first ATP Tour title of his career or will the powerful Berrettini claim a maiden triumph on the grass?
ATP Stuttgart Open final prediction
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Matteo Berrettini
Head-to-head: first meeting
Auger-Aliassime may have benefited from his countryman Milos Raonic’s withdrawal ahead of their semifinal, a disappointing setback for the 2016 Wimbledon finalist, but the young Canadian has still had to play some excellent tennis to reach this point. He won his first two matches in straight sets, before showing remarkable mental fortitude to come back from a break down in the third set and saving a match point to beat Dustin Brown in the quarterfinals.
Berrettini, meanwhile, is playing some of the best tennis of his career. In the last four, he beat a confident Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets to make the Stuttgart Open final. Struff had been playing great attacking tennis, but for the most part, it was Berrettini putting the pressure on Struff’s serve. He was able to get the crucial break in both sets to win 6-4 7-5. An underrated part of Berrettini’s game on grass is his backhand slice, which has proven extremely difficult for opponents’ to deal with.
Both players serve very well and will be looking to play on the front foot. But what’s worrying for Auger-Aliassime is that against both Simon and Brown he had lapses concentration. Berrettini has the game to take full advantage. The Italian’s serve, forehand, and slice backhand are all coming together to make him a huge threat during the grass-court swing. Auger-Aliassime has also lost both of the tour-level finals he has played, which could get into his head in this one. Berrettini, on the other hand, already has two titles to his name. Expect him to add a third at the Stuttgart Open.
Prediction: Berrettini in two
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