Just two men are still in contention at the ATP Buenos Aires Open. They happen to be the top two seeds, Casper Ruud of Norway and Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman. This promises to be a very entertaining match between two high-calibre clay courters, and the Argentinian crown should play a role. As ever we here at LWOT will be offering our preview and prediction of the final. But who will lift the title?
ATP Buenos Aires Final Prediction
Head-to-head: Schwartzman 5-2 Ruud
Ruud’s Australian Open ended in real frustration, with the Norwegian forced to withdraw with an abdominal injury before playing a shot in anger at Melbourne Park. But he has bounced back impressively at the ATP Buenos Aires Open, enjoying the return to his preferred clay. He opened his campaign against Roberto Carballes Baena and beat the Spaniard 7-6 6-3. He then got the better of Federico Coria 6-3 6-4 before booking his place in the final with a 6-3 6-3 win over Federico Delbonis.
Schwartzman has had a poor season so far by his lofty standards, losing to Christopher O’Connell in the second round at Melbourne Park and Alejandro Tabilo in the semifinals last week in Cordoba. But although he has found things difficult so far this week in the Argentine capital, he has shown commendable fighting spirit to battle past Jaume Munar, Francisco Cerundolo and Lorenzo Sonego. He has had to go the distance in his last two matches, however.
Fatigue may come into it as a result. Schwartzman is one of the fittest players on the men’s tour, but so too is Ruud and the Norwegian will surely look to work Schwartzman over physically. Ruud also has the bigger weapons, chief amongst them his forehand. If he can bring that shot into play regularly, and so force Schwartzman onto the back foot, this will be a difficult day for the Argentine. Ruud will not have things his own way, but he should have just about enough to get past Schwartzman.
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