Nikoloz Basilashvili vs Jaume Munar Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Barcelona

Prediction published on 19/04/2022, 09:25  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 19/04/2022 at 11:01 in Tennis Predictions

Ninth seed Nikoloz Basilashvli is having an inconsistent 2022. He looks to improve it with a win over wild card Jaume Munar in the second round in Barcelona. The winner of this match will face either Kwon soon- woo or fifth seed Carlos Alcaraz in the last 16. Basilashvili began this tournament ranked 20th in the world (he was as high as 18th earlier in 2022) but in terms of points earned this year he's down at 85th. May and June sees him with lots of points to defend, so if his poor year continues he will start to slide down the rankings. His best performance this year has been getting to the final in Doha but no player in the top 35 was beaten that week. Before that tournament in February, he had lost his first six matches of 2022. Since Doha, he's won one out of five matches and in Monte Carlo last week lost to Grigor Dimitrov. Basilashvili lost the first set and then retired when 2-0 down in the second. He has won three ATP Tour clay court titles, the best being an ATP 500 win in Hamburg three years ago.

Jaume Munar is ranked 101st but 46th for points earned this season. The Spaniard has won 13 Challenger Tour titles played on clay. The most recent of those was in April with a win in Marbella. Just one ATP Tour clay court final has been reached and that was in Andalucia last year, losing to Pablo Carreno Busta. Munar began this year ranked 77th in the world but will be back in the top 100 when the next list is published. The Spaniard got to the quarter finals of a tournament in Melbourne but lost a five-setter to Aslan Karatsev in the Australian Open first round. Three clay court events in South America saw him reach two last 16s and a last 32. He showed improved form when getting to the last 16 at Indian Wells with a win over Busta before losing to eventual champion Taylor Fritz. Last week saw him lose in the first round in Monte Carlo. He's had better form this week and beat lucky loser Gian Marco Morino in straight sets in the first round. Back him to get a win in this match, possibly in three sets.