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Match details
Fixture: (5) Frances Tiafoe vs Facundo Bagnis
Date: 10 March 2021
Tournament: Chile Open 2021
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Santiago, Chile
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor clay
Prize money: $325,270
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | India - Eurosport
Frances Tiafoe vs Facundo Bagnis preview
Frances Tiafoe will face Facundo Bagnis on Wednesday for the second time in as many weeks - this time in the last-16 of the 2021 Chile Open.
Tiafoe kicked off his 2021 campaign by reaching the quarterfinals at Delray Beach. He followed that up with a first-round loss at the Murray River Open, before stretching Novak Djokovic to four sets in the second round of the Australian Open.
In his first claycourt event of the year, at Buenos Aires last week, Tiafoe reached the second round.
Facundo Bagnis, meanwhile, is ranked No. 118 in the world, having peaked at No. 55 in 2016. The Argentine is a claycourt veteran and has reached 30 finals (18-12 win/loss record) on the ITF/ ATP Challenger Tour, with all of them having come on clay.
The left-hander's 2021 season highlights include a semifinal finish in Cordoba as a qualifier, as well as a quarter-final appearance at the Antalya Challenger.
Frances Tiafoe vs Facundo Bagnis head-to-head
Frances Tiafoe and Facundo Bagnis have played once on the ATP tour, with Tiafoe leading the head-to-head 1-0. The American defeated Bagnis in the first round at last week's Argentina Open, in straight sets.
Tiafoe also had a three-set win over the Argentine on clay in 2015, when they met on the ATP Challenger circuit.
Frances Tiafoe vs Facundo Bagnis prediction
Both Frances Tiafoe and Facundo Bagnis needed three sets to win their first-round matches on Monday.
Bagnis came from a set behind to defeat Italian Marco Cecchinato 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-3. Tiafoe had an even tougher time, beating local wildcard Nicolas Jarry 7-6(7), 6-7(9), 7-6(7) in a high-quality encounter that lasted close to 3 hours.
"That’s what it’s about. It doesn’t get more up and down than this match tonight,” Tiafoe said after his win. “The ups and downs were crazy. I was up 6/4 in both breakers. I could have won six and six and I could have been out of here about an hour ago, but Nico played some good points. I’ve got to give it to him. Nico played well tonight, served great when he needed to."
Tiafoe's close first-round win will undoubtedly give him plenty of confidence. The American likes playing on clay too, and his positive head-to-head against Bagnis is another factor in his favor.
Unless he is tired from his marathon first-round win, Tiafoe should have it easy against Bagnis.
Prediction: Frances Tiafoe to win in straight sets.
