The final at the ATP Estoril Open should provide plenty of entertainment. Cameron Norrie has gone from strength to strength during his time in Portugal and he looks to be a force to be reckoned with right now. But Albert Ramos Vinolas has been quietly and efficiently going about his business this week and a clay courter of his calibre can never be underestimated. It’s been an undeniably thrilling week of tennis in Estoril, but who will lift the title?
ATP Estoril Open Final diction
Cameron Norrie vs Albert Ramos Vinolas
Head-to-head: Ramos Vinolas 2-0 Norrie
Norrie may have gone into his semifinal clash with Marin Cilic as the slight favourite, but it was certainly a surprise that he beat the Croatian in straight sets. In fact, Norrie has pulled out a number of surprising results in recent weeks and he’s becoming quite the competitor on the clay courts. However, he is now faced with the task of playing someone with a similar game plan who has a huge amount of experience in comparison to him. Seeing these two face off will be very interesting in terms of who can get on top of the rallies.
The only two previous meetings between this pair have come on clay. Ramos Vinolas has won both, although Norrie has taken a set off the Spaniard. Still, considering his experience and form on the clay, Ramos Vinolas is the favourite heading into the final. Particularly because he has not yet dropped a set this week, which should mean that he is fresh for the final. In a match likely to feature plenty of extended baseline exchanges, fitness and agility will play an important role for both men.
Norrie has come through some intense battles this week, which may leave him short of energy heading into the final. Ramos Vinolas, in contrast, has marched through the draw with ease, and while he faces a tough task in Norrie, his dispatching of Davidovich Fokina showed that he’s not willing to give in to the younger generation. The young Briton will have to be at his very best to cause Ramos Vinolas problems with this looking like a tough ask for Norrie.
Norrie may well be the first player this week to take a set off Ramos Vinolas, but the Spaniard is playing well enough right now that few players have enough to get past him. Ramos Vinolas can do everything that Norrie can on a clay court and a lot of it better than the Briton. Expect the Spaniard to lift the third title of his career at the ATP Estoril Open.
Prediction: Ramos Vinolas in 3
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