Rio Open 2022: Casper Ruud vs Francisco Cerundolo preview, head-to-head and prediction

Match Details

Fixture: (2) Casper Ruud vs Francisco Cerundolo

Date: 17 February 2022.

Tournament: Rio Open.

Round: Second round (Round of 16).

Venue: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Category: ATP 500.

Surface: Outdoor claycourt.

Prize money: $1,815,115.

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

Casper Ruud vs Francisco Cerundolo preview

Casper Ruud will be eager to win his second title of 2022 in Brazil

Second seed Casper Ruud will take on Francisco Cerundolo in the second round of the Rio Open on Thursday.

Ruud started the year at the ATP Cup, winning two of his three singles matches in the competition. He was set to compete at the Australian Open but withdrew from the tournament due to an ankle injury.

The Norwegian returned to action at the Argentina Open and, as the top seed, received a bye to the second round. The 23-year-old breezed through to the final after beating seasoned claycourters Roberto Carballes Baena, Federico Delbonis and Federico Coria in straight sets. He fought back from a set down in the final to defeat Diego Schwartzman and win his seventh ATP singles title.

Cerundolo started the year by qualifying for the main draw of the Adelaide International 1. However, he lost in the first round to Gianluca Mager after giving the Italian a tough fight.

The Argentine entered the qualifiers for the Australian Open but lost to compatriot Pedro Cachin despite winning the first set. Cerundolo then won the Santa Cruz Challenger before suffering a first-round exit at the Cordoba Open at the hands of eventual runner-up Alejandro Tabilo.

The 23-year-old qualified for the main draw of the Argentina Open and reached the quarterfinals following wins over Facundo Bagnis and Miomir Kecmanovic. However, he lost to Schwartzman in the last eight.

Cerundolo faced Benoit Paire in the first round in Rio and beat the Frenchman 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.

Casper Ruud vs Francisco Cerundolo head-to-head

This will be the first meeting between the two players, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0. The winner of the match will advance to the quarterfinals where they will face either Kecmanovic or sixth seed Lorenzo Sonego.

Casper Ruud vs Francisco Cerundolo prediction

World No. 8 Ruud will go into the match as the overwhelming favorite. The Norwegian is among the best claycourt players on tour and has fared very well on the surface lately. Since 2021, Ruud has won 32 out of 37 matches on clay, with both of his Masters 1000 semifinals last year coming at claycourt events.

The 23-year-old will look to trouble Cerundolo with his solid baseline game. His forehand and backhand, both of which he hits with heavy topspin, work well on clay and help him control the rallies.

Cerundolo is ranked 92 places below Ruud but will be in good spirits after a quarter-final run in Buenos Aires and the defeat of Paire, who is ranked 48 places above him. However, the Argentine is up against an opponent in formidable form and will have to be at his absolute best if he is to stand any chance in this match.

Cerundolo will rely a lot on his forehand to try to push the Norwegian behind the baseline. He served five double faults in his previous match against Paire and will have to keep his serve in check against the World No. 8.

Cerundolo is capable of putting up a fight but Ruud should be too strong in this encounter.

Prediction: Casper Ruud to win in straight sets.

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Also Check Out: Rio Open Schedule 2022