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Match details
Fixture: (2) Rafael Nadal vs Jannik Sinner
Date: 12 May 2021
Tournament: Internazionali BNL d'italia 2021
Round: Second round (Round of 32)
Venue: Rome, Italy
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: €2,082,960
Match timing: Not before 6 pm local time, 9.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Rafael Nadal vs Jannik Sinner preview
The second round of the 2021 Italian Open will see a mouthwatering clash between nine-time champion Rafael Nadal and the fast-rising Jannik Sinner.
Nadal, who is entering the tournament looking for his first Masters 1000 title since 2019, is likely to face a big test on Wednesday. Sinner has proven over the last few months that he has the game to trouble the very best, and he will be looking to hand the Spaniard his earliest exit at Rome since 2008.
Sinner made a splendid start to his 2021 campaign, winning a 250 title in Melbourne and then making the final of the Miami Open. But he has suffered two consecutive early exits in his last two Masters 1000 appearances (Round-of-32 losses in Monte Carlo and Madrid), and will be looking to right the ship in Rome.
The 19-year-old has given ample evidence of his prowess on the red dirt this season, despite those two disappointing losses. He notched up wins over the likes of Andrey Rublev and Roberto Bautista Agut en route to reaching the Barcelona semifinals, where he was stopped by the in-form Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Rafael Nadal vs Jannik Sinner head-to-head
Rafael Nadal has a slender 1-0 head-to-head advantage over Jannik Sinner. The pair's lone meeting took place in the 2020 French Open quarterfinals, which Nadal won in straight sets.
Rafael Nadal vs Jannik Sinner prediction
Despite a few underwhelming results in the lead-up to the tournament, Rafael Nadal will enter this contest as the firm favorite. He has a strong record in Rome, and the slower conditions in the Italian capital should aid him more than his opponent.
Jannik Sinner's biggest strengths are his big serve and powerful groundstrokes. However, he didn't look too comfortable on the court in his first-round match on Monday.
The Italian played a few uncharacteristically loose points and squandered as many as 10 of 14 break-point opportunities, before cleaning up his game towards the end. It goes without saying that Sinner can't afford to be as profligate against Nadal, who will be eager to get back into form ahead of the 2021 French Open.
The Spaniard should be expecting a lot of traffic to be directed towards his backhand wing, which has been somewhat vulnerable in recent matches. But if Nadal keeps his unforced errors under check and takes control of the longer baseline rallies, he should be able to outlast his young opponent.
Prediction: Rafael Nadal to win in three sets.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
