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Match Details
Fixture: (2) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Ilya Ivashka
Date: June 22, 2022
Tournament: Mallorca Championships 2022
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
Venue: Santa Ponsa, Spain.
Category: ATP 250.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: €886,500.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | India - Discovery
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Ilya Ivashka preview
Second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas will square off against Ilya Ivashka in the second round of the Mallorca Championships on Wednesday.
Tsitsipas has won 36 out of 50 matches this season, with a successful title defense at the Monte-Carlo Masters and runner-up finishes at the Rotterdam Open and Rome Masters amongst his stand-out performances.
The Greek will be entering the Mallorca Championships on the back of a quarterfinal loss to Andy Murray in Stuttgart and a second-round exit at the hands of Nick Kyrgios in three sets at the Halle Open.
After the duo held serve for 10 games, Tsitsipas made the breakthrough in the penultimate game to break the Australian's serve and clinch the first set 7-5. However, the Greek couldn't see off the constant pressure from Kyrgios, who broke him instantly in the second set and carried the momentum in the third to win the match 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.
Ilya Ivashka has won 12 out of 26 matches this season, with runs to the quarterfinals of the Marseille Open, Geneva Open and Rosmalen Grass Court Championship being his best results.
The Belarusian entered Mallorca on the back of a second-round exit at the Halle Open, ousted by World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in straight sets.
Ivashka has looked in decent touch on grass this season, winning four out of six matches so far. He put up a tidy performance in the first round of the Mallorca Championships, dominating Emil Ruusuvuori 6-4, 6-1 to secure a place in the last 16.
The 28-year old has not made an ATP final since his triumph at the Winston-Salem Open in 2021.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Ilya Ivashka head-to-head
Tsitsipas leads the head-to-head 2-0 against Ivashka. He defeated the Belarusian in their most recent encounter at the 2022 Barcelona Open 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Ilya Ivashka odds
All odds are sourced by BetMGM.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Ilya Ivashka prediction
The tie hangs very much in the balance between the two players. Tsitsipas' record on grass is mediocre at a win-loss record of 10-10 and the Greek has struggled to register back-to-back wins on the surface.
Tsitsipas won 82.5 percent of his first serve points and saved seven out of 10 break points against Kyrgios. While there were a few positives to take from the contest, the World No. 5 will also need to make adjustments quickly given that Wimbledon starts in less than a week.
Tsitsipas has been using his serve effectively and his efficacy at the net has helped him navigate tricky situations. However, he needs to improve his slice and backhand return, with the latter in particular being a liability on the surface.
Ivashka won 69 percent of his first serve points and saved all the break points he faced against Ruusuvuori in the first round. Ivashka constructs points well and uses his two-handed backhand and slice to good effect.
The tie will be tilted towards Tsitsipas considering his consistency throughout the season, but Ivashka can't be written off easily. The Greek faces a tough challenge against the Belarusian but should be able to reach the quarterfinals of the Mallorca Championships.
Pick: Tsitsipas to win in three sets.
