40th-ranked and sixth-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili will take on the 267th-ranked Italian Andrea Arnaboldi in the first round of the 2021 Antalya Open. The match is expected to be played either on Thursday or Friday, January 7 or 8, with an exact time yet to be announced. Get the live streaming options of this Nikoloz Basilashvili v Andrea Arnaboldi match along with its preview, head to head, and tips here.
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Nikoloz Basilashvili v Andrea Arnaboldi Head to Head
This will be the second meeting between the two players. Andrea Arnaboldi won their only previous meeting with that match coming in a 2012 Rabat Challenger qualifier.
Additionally, that match was on a clay court.
Also Read:
Basilashvili’s Horrid 2020
Nikoloz Basilashvili had a horrible return to tennis post last year’s tennis hiatus. He lost all nine of his matches after returning on tour and did so in a staggering manner: winning only one set out of the 21 that he played during that period.
That form was a huge contrast to his 2019 performances that saw him reach 16th on the ATP rankings.
In addition to some personal problems, 2020 was a year that he’d want to banish from his career.
The road to redemption for him in 2021 begins against Arnaboldi. Not only is Basilashvili playing against someone whose main experience is from challenger tournaments, but the Italian also struggles on hard courts, giving Basilashvili a slight edge in this one.
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Arnaboldi Seeking An Upset
With a 57-70 record on hard courts and a preference for clay instead, Italian Arnaboldi walks into this tie as the massive underdog. However, he can take solace in the fact that his Georgian opponent is coming from a patchy season, which could play into his favor.
That seems like too much wishful thinking, especially for a player who’s dropped in the rankings in the past few years and now finds himself ranked 267th.
With all of his matches last year being from challenger tournaments, and having not played an ATP tour-level main draw match since his 2019 Wimbledon first-round elimination to Ivo Karlovic, high-level experience might be an issue for the 33-year-old.
Basilashvili’s experience, therefore, might end up being the deciding factor in this first-round tie.
Basilashvili v Arnaboldi Prediction and Tip
Everything in this tie points to a Basilashvili win, which could ignite a spark for Basilashvili to have a redeeming season. Therefore, back the Georgian to redeem himself at the start of the year with a good performance. If he gets control early on, he could even win the tie in straight sets, but for now, a win seems like the more likely option.
Tip: Basilashvili to win: 1/2 (bet365)
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The 2021 Antalya Open will be played from January 7 to January 13. You can watch & bet on the Antalya Open here. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
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