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Match details
Fixture: Andrey Rublev vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Date: 1 October 2020
Tournament: Roland Garros 2020
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: Approx. €38,000,000
Match timing: Approx. 7 pm CEST, 10.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - NBC / Tennis Channel | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Also check out: The Complete French Open 2020 Schedule
Andrey Rublev vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina preview
Andrey Rublev, the 13th seed at Roland Garros 2020, had a major scare in the first round of the tournament. He was trailing by two sets and 5-2 against Sam Querrey, but made a stunning comeback to win in five sets.
The contest ended with a 6-7(5), 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 scoreline in favor of the Russian.
The initial hiccups were particularly surprising given that Rublev has been in excellent form of late. He made it to the quarterfinals of US Open 2020 before winning his maiden ATP 500 title at Hamburg last week.
Rublev defeated the No. 2 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas to lift the trophy, winning 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, and overall has a good win-loss record of 27-6 this year.
Unlike Rublev, Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina barely had any trouble in his opening match. The World No. 70 won in straight sets against Harold Mayot, with a 7-6(5), 6-3, 7-5 scoreline.
Davidovich Fokina had a solid campaign at the US Open earlier this year, where he made it to the Round of 16 before losing to eventual finalist Alexander Zverev. This is the first time he's made it to the second round at Roland Garros.
Andrey Rublev vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina head-to-head
Andrey Rublev and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina have not met on tour so far. Their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Andrey Rublev vs Alejandro Davidovich -Fokina prediction
Andrey Rublev has lost just one match on clay this season, boasting of a 7-1 record on the surface in 2020.
The Russian's powerful and accurate forehand is one of his biggest strengths. His overall baseline play is solid too, and he enjoys taking the game to the opponent with his pacy groundstrokes.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, on his part, also has a superb forehand. However, the Spaniard is even better known for his excellent drop shot.
Davidovich Fokina is regarded by some as the best exponent of the drop shot on tour; he is often referred to as the 'Drop Shot King'. The youngster is also a quick mover on the court, which could make it a little tough for Rublev to hit through him.
Prediction: Andrey Rublev to win in four sets.
