Hamburg European Open 2022: Pablo Carreno Busta vs Alex Molcan preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match Details

Fixture: Pablo Carreno Busta vs Alex Molcan

Date: July 20, 2022

Tournament: Hamburg European Open

Round: Second Round (Round of 16)

Venue: Hamburg, Germany

Category: ATP 500

Surface: Clay

Prize money: €1,770,865

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Pablo Carreno Busta vs Alex Molcan preview

Alex Molcan takes on Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round in Hamburg

Fourth seed Pablo Carreno Busta will square off against Alex Molcan in the second round of the Hamburg European Open. He's had a decent season so far, garnering 22 wins from 39 matches and runner-up finishes at the ATP Cup (while representing Spain) and the Barcelona Open in April.

The 31-year-old ended his three-match losing streak on clay in Bastad last week. He found his bearings in the first two rounds with hard-fought wins over Stan Wawrinka and Albert Ramos Vinolas and then powered through Diego Schwartzman 6-1, 6-0 in their last eight bout. Unfortunately, he couldn't tip the scales in his favor against Francisco Cerundolo in the semifinals, falling 3-6, 2-6 against the eventual winner.

In Hamburg, Carreno Busta made easy work of the talented but inexperienced Luca Nardi in the first round and began his title defense with a solid 6-2, 6-1 straight-sets win over the Italian.

Alex Molcan, on the other hand, has been on the rise this season with 21 wins from 35 matches, and scored second-place finishes at the ATP Marrakech Open and the Lyon Open. He's stepped up his game in 2022 with inspiring victories over top competitors such as Felix Auger-Aliassime, Karen Khachanov and Alex de Minaur.

The 24-year-old reached the third round at Wimbledon for the first time in his career before being humbled by Eastbourne International winner Taylor Fritz. At the Hamburg European Open, Molcan kicked off his campaign with a first-class 7-5, 6-3 win over Serbian qualifier Marko Topo.

Pablo Carreno Busta vs Alex Molcan head-to-head

Pablo Carreno Busta and Alex Molcan have never faced each other on the ATP Tour before. Their head-to-head is locked at 0-0.

Pablo Carreno Busta vs Alex Molcan odds

Player Name	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games
Pablo Carreno Busta	-175	-2.5(-120)	Over 22.5(-110)
Alex Molcan	+135	+2.5(-115)	Under 22.5(-130)

All odds are sourced by BetMGM.

Pablo Carreno Busta vs Alex Molcan prediction

Fans can expect a mouth-watering contest as the two battle it out for a place in the last eight of the ATP500 claycourt event. Pablo Carreno Busta will be the clear favorite heading into this clash, considering his record in Hamburg and experience at this level.

The Spaniard put up a flawless serving display in his previous match against Luca Nardi, winning 91 per cent of his first serve points and never facing a break point. He has a dependable overall game, with swift movement on the court. His patient style of play in particular is well suited for the claycourts.

Molcan has shown great promise on the main tour this year and will by no means be an easy opponent to get past in this clash. Like Carreno Busta, the World No. 48 also capped off a brilliant serving performance in his last match, winning 84 percent of his first serve points and saving two break points.

The Slovakian likes to hit the ball on the up and has the ability to generate serious power in his groundstrokes. The whip and top spin on his forehand can make it awkward for Carreno Busta while dueling from the baseline.

Although Carreno Busta is the deserved favorite to win, his shaky performances in recent times should give Molcan plenty of encouragement in this clash. If he gets off to a good start in the early proceedings and stays clinical during critical moments, he should be able to cause an upset and move into the quarterfinals.

Pick: Alex Molcan to win in three sets.