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Match details
Fixture: Lorenzo Musetti vs (1) Dan Evans
Date: 8 April 2021
Tournament: Sardegna Open 2021
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Cagliari, Italy
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: €408,800
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel
Lorenzo Musetti vs Dan Evans preview
After inflicting a brutal beatdown on Dennis Novak in his opener on Tuesday, Lorenzo Musetti will next face Dan Evans in the second round of the 2021 Sardegna Open.
Musetti swept aside Novak in just 53 minutes, winning 6-0, 6-1. He was utterly dominant in all facets of the game against the Austrian, whom he broke as many as six times.
The 19-year-old not only served exceptionally well, but also outplayed Novak in a majority of the baseline exchanges. The Austrian could only win 14 of the 42 points that were played on his serve. In contrast Musetti won almost three-fourths of his service points, giving Novak no room to make any inroads in the match.
The Italian had already signaled his intention of doing well in this year's clay swing. During an interview ahead of the Sardegna Open, Musetti had claimed that he had been striking the ball well during practice.
The home favorite will next take on Britain's Dan Evans - a player who has been mediocre on clay throughout his career.
Evans last won a main draw tour match on the surface back in 2017, when he beat Mischa Zverev at Barcelona. Since then, the Brit has played six main-draw claycourt matches and lost all of them.
It is no secret that clay and Dan Evans don't go well together. In fact, the 30-year-old's participation at the 2021 Sardegna Open came as a surprise for many.
Evans is seeded first here by virtue of his ranking, but not many consider him among the favorites for the title.
Lorenzo Musetti vs Dan Evans head-to-head
This will be the first meeting on tour between Lorenzo Musetti and Dan Evans, and so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Lorenzo Musetti vs Dan Evans prediction
After Lorenzo Musetti’s performance in the opening round, it is hard to not peg him as the favorite for this match. Musetti's claycourt skills make him a formidable opponent for even the most experienced of dirtballers.
As such, we can expect him to make things very difficult for Dan Evans, who has never really taken to the slower surface during his otherwise solid career. The Brit will likely put up a fight, but that probably won't be enough against a claycourter of Musetti's caliber.
Prediction: Lorenzo Musetti to win in straight sets.
