Dušan Lajović vs Albert Ramos Vinolas Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Cordoba

Prediction published on 08/02/2023, 01:57  by Kennedy Kechula in Tennis Predictions

Third seed Albert Vinolas will start his Cordoba Open title defence against world number 89 Dusan Lajovic in the second round. World number 54 Vinolas, won last year’s tournament by coming back from a set down to beat Alejandro Tabilo 2-1. It was the perfect response to losing the previous final to the qualifier Juan Manuel Cerundolo in three sets. Thursday’s match will be the fifth meeting between Lajovic and Vinolas. Lajovic has won the last two matches with the last meeting coming back in 2018 in Croatia. Vinolas won the first meeting between the two in Quito in 2016 but was forced to retire during the first set of their second meeting two weeks later in Rio de Janeiro. The 35-year-old Spaniard comes into Cordoba on abysmal form having lost six straight matches. He started the season with two successive losses (three sets) in the United Cup. He followed that up with another three sets loss in the first round of Adelaide 2 to the qualifier John Millman. At the Australian Open, he fell in the first round in four sets to Maxime Cressy. He is however up to 51st place on the live ranking and can move further up to 48th with a win here.

Dusan Lajovic is making his debut in Cordoba and defeated world number 98 Juan Pablo Varillas in straight sets to set up this match with Vinolas. It was his first win of the season and he has so far played three matches. He started the year in Auckland where after winning the first set was defeated 2-1 in the first round of qualifying by Christopher Eubanks. He qualified for the Australian Open but was eliminated in the first round for the fourth successive year. Lajovic won the Croatia Open in 2019, a highlight year for the 32-year-old that saw him reach his highest-ever ranking of 23 after also making the final in Monte Carlo. Last year he ended his season by winning the Maspalomas Challenger.