Preview: Matteo Arnaldi vs. Holger Rune – prediction, form, head-to-head

Matteo Arnaldi is the underdog when he runs in 2022 Paris Masters champion Holger Rune in the first round match on Tuesday.

The Italian had a mixed year ATP Tour and goes into the start of his tournament to outsmart the former champion and four-time tour winner.

Game preview

© Imago

Despite a commendable run to the third round of the US Open in August, Arnaldi's form has been indifferent since losing to him Jordan Thompson at Flushing Meadows.

Although he let success get the better of him Thiago Monteiro In the Davis Cup, the world number 38 has suffered more defeats than victories, which is reflected in a 1:3 record before the last ATP 1000 event of the season.

His most recent tournament in Basel ended in three sets against Resurgent David Goffin in Switzerland, continuing his disappointing run on the tour.

While the Italian's last three matches, which went over three sets each, suggest he performed admirably, two of them ended in defeat, with his only triumph being a tournament-opening victory in Shanghai against American Zachary Svajda.

He was almost eliminated Daniil Medvedev At that Masters tournament, he took the first set before the Russian fought his way through the second round to claim a win. This basic competition could give Rune a scare on Tuesday.

The Dane, a former champion in Paris, couldn't quite get to the top in last year's title defense and fell behind in the quarter-finals Novak Djokovicwhom he defeated in three exciting sets in last year's final.

Rune's outstanding title fight two years ago saw him edge out Hubert Hurkacz in round two. Andrey Rublev top seed in the following round Carlos Alcaraz in the last eight and Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals before a comeback win over Djokovic in the championship match sealed a near-flawless tournament.

He enters the 1000 tournament in France with an 8-1 record in the ATP 1000 event and is the favorite in Tuesday's first-round match as he looks to extend that record.

Rune's latest attempt to secure their first title of 2024 ended in the semi-finals in Basel against the eventual champions Giovanni Mpetshi Perricardwhose cracking serve proved too difficult for the world number 13.

Back in Paris, the four-time ATP Tour champion will be hoping to claim success for his fifth overall title and continue his streak of winning the title every year since his first two years.

Head to head

Arnaldi and Rune will meet for the first time on the tour, with the Italian player not expected to upset the Dane.

The world number 38's 2024 record of 28-24 is well below Rune's 41-22 and highlights the gap between both players.

We say: Rune to win in two sets

Despite being the clear favorite, Rune could be forced into a third set by the Italian, who has been on the wrong end of three consecutive sets over the last month.

We expect the Danish player to avoid an early exit in Paris and improve on his 14-8 Masters 1000 record this season when the tournament opens on Tuesday.

ID:556703:1false2false3false:QQ:: from DB desktop :LenBod:collect5335:

Previews via email