Cincinnati 2022: Andrey Rublev vs Fabio Fognini preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Western & Southern Open

Andrey Rublev will face Italy's Fabio Fognini

Match Details

Fixture: (6) Andrey Rublev vs Fabio Fognini

Tournament: Western & Southern Open

Round: Second round (Round of 32).

Date: August 17, 2022

Venue: Cincinnati, United States

Category: ATP Masters 1000.

Surface: Hard court.

Prize money: $6,280,880.

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & Bally Sports | Canada - TSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Sports 18 & Voot.

Andrey Rublev vs Fabio Fognini preview

Andrey Rublev at Citi Open - Day 8

Sixth seed Andrey Rublev will take on Fabio Fognini in the second round of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati on Wednesday.

The Russian has won 35 out of 48 matches this season, including three tournament wins. Rublev made it to the final of the Open 13 in Marseille where he edged past Canadian youngster Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-5, 7-6(4) to lift his first trophy of the year.

The World No. 8 then made his second consecutive final appearance at the Dubai Tennis Championships. He beat the likes of Daniel Evans and Hubert Hurkacz to set up a final against Jiri Vesely, where he beat him 6-3, 6-4. The 24-year-old continued his good form as he reached the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters. The Russian lost to Taylor Fritz in the penultimate match of the tournament.

Rublev laid his hands on his third trophy of the year at the Serbia Open. The Russian beat former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in his home country, defeating him 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-0. It was his first clay title of the year following consecutive hardcourt titles.

In his last appearance on the court, the fifth-seeded Russian had a forgettable first-round exit at the hands of Dan Evans at the Canadian Open. However, he had an impressive run at the Citi Open, where his run was ended by Yoshihito Nishioka in the semifinal.

Day One: The Championships - Wimbledon 2022

Fognini has won just 14 out of 30 matches so far this season. The 35-year-old has two semifinal appearances to his name. Playing at the Rio Open, the veteran bowed out to Spain's rising star Carlos Alcaraz 6-2, 7-5 in the semifinals.

The Italian made his second semifinal appearance at the Belgrade Open, where he lost to Rublev in straight sets. Fognini reached the quarterfinals of the Argentina Open but his impressive run was put to an end by home favorite Federico Delbonis in the quarterfinals.

Fognini's best finish at Grand Slam events this year is at Roland Garros. Playing against Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round, the Italian was forced to retire from the match while he was two sets down.

However, the veteran is in good form in Cincinnati this year. Having entered the tournament as a qualifier, Fognini did well in prevailing over the likes of Marcos Giron and Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the qualifiers and the first round respectively to set up a clash with Andrey Rublev.

Andrey Rublev vs Fabio Fognini head-to-head

The pair have faced each other 10 times in the past, with the head-to-head being tied at 5-5. Rublev won their most recent clash in the Serbia Open semifinals, 6-2, 6-2.

Andrey Rublev vs Fabio Fognini odds

Players	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total games (Over & Under)
Andrey Rublev	-450		21.5 (-120)
Fabio Fognini	+320		21.5 (-115)

*complete odds will be updated later*

Andrey Rublev vs Fabio Fognini prediction

Rublev enjoys an aggressive style of play primarily from the baseline and is adept at hitting big forehands and currently has one of the biggest forehands on tour. The Russian has had a good start to the season but hasn't had the best run of form since the claycourt swing.

Fognini, on the other hand, deploys a counterattacking style of play and is heavily reliant on the timing of his shots to be effective on the court. The Italian veteran knows how to make the best use of his rival's raw power and redirect it to his groundstrokes. He's known to hit quite a number of volleys and drop shots to confound his opponents and break their rhythm.

Both players have a tendency to lose their cool during crucial moments in big matches. Primarily a claycourt specialist, Fognini might have the edge based on current form on paper, but Rublev's hard-hitting style could be too much for the Italian, who looked slow in his encounter against Ramos-Vinolas. Unless Rublev falters mid-match, he's the favorite to reach the last 16 in Cincinnati.

Pick: Rublev to win in two sets.

Also Check Out: Fabio Fognini Net Worth