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2022 ATP Tour – Dubai Duty Free Championship selected Ro32 matches preview

Damien Kayat previews the Dubai Duty Free Championship matches between Felix Auger Aliassime and Nikoloz Basilashvili as well as Karen Kachanov vs Alex de Minaur.

Karen Khachanov - Dubai Duty Free Champs
Image Copyright - Steve Haag Sports

Damien Kayat previews the Dubai Duty Free Championship matches between Felix Auger Aliassime and Nikoloz Basilashvili as well as Karen Kachanov vs Alex de Minaur.

Two women looking excitedly at cellphone

2022 ATP Tour
ATP 500
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
Aviation Club Tennis Centre (Outdoor Hardcourt)
Selected Round of 32 Matches- 22nd February

Felix Auger Aliassime 26/10 | Nikoloz Basilashvili 27/100

This should be a fascinating clash between two men reeling from finals defeats last week. I think it’s safe to say that Felix Auger Aliassime didn’t cry himself to sleep after losing to Rublev in straight sets.

I think he may have if he hadn’t secured victory in Rotterdam a week earlier. But in all honesty, Auger Aliassime is one of the most consistent players in the world at present.

Including his performances at the ATP Cup, his current win-loss record for 2022 stands at an impressive 15-4. I have been extremely impressed with the way he has bounced back from that heart-breaking Aussie Open quarterfinal collapse against Danil Medvedev.

He has obviously matured tremendously over the past year and I think he is intent on becoming the world’s number one player. I am slightly concerned about his itinerary of late.

It has been almost nonstop tennis for the Canadian. He is going to have to conquer both fatigue and jetlag after his French final on Sunday.

29-year-old Nikoloz Basilashvili is a punter’s nightmare (or dream depending on how you look at it). As opposed to Aliassime, he is wildly inconsistent, veering from brilliance to abject in a second.

This year has been a perfect microcosm of his career. He lost his first five matches for the year and then went on to reach the final in Qatar last week. Incidentally, that was his 2nd consecutive Qatar Open final (he won the title last year).

Basilashvili is coming off a similarly inconsistent year. But he still managed to reach three finals last year. This included his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells.

Occasionally a bit volatile, Basilashvili has never been able to get a foothold in Grand Slam tennis. I think he lacks the temperament for two weeks of arduous tennis.

But on his day, he can beat anyone. He has beaten the likes of Federer, Tsitsipas and Zverev. How will he bounce back after his efforts in Qatar last week?

Verdict: Basilashvili to win at 26/10

Auger Aliassime has a commanding 3-0 head-to-head record against the Georgian. The last time they met resulted in a commanding straight-sets victory for the Canadian at the 2020 Cincinnati Open.

But you can throw predictors like head-to-head stats out the window with a player as unpredictable as Basilashvili. This match is going to feature some of the more brutal baseline exchanges you will hope to see.

I just feel like there’s value in the Georgian. Aliassime’s recent form makes him a big favourite. But that just makes Basilashvili’s price more appealing.

Also, I think Aliassime may be feeling the effects of all his recent tennis. Basilashvili had a far less taxing trip from Qatar to Dubai this week. There’s some value here.

Karen Khachanov 63/100 | Alex De Minaur 12/10

Is Russian Karen Khachanov finally becoming consistent? His 2022 win-loss record of 10-5 makes for pretty good reading for the Russian. He reached a final in Adelaide earlier this year and he made it to the semi-finals in Qatar last week.

He actually went a set up against Bautista Agut only for the Spaniard to roar back. The 2018 Paris Masters champion actually is actually based in Dubai during the off-season.

He should theoretically have an intimate understanding of these courts. That hasn’t translated into too much success (he reached the quarterfinal here in 2020).

But he is playing solid tennis and probably feels more positive about his game than he has in some time. However, he has picked up a really tricky opponent in Aussie Alex De Minaur.

23-year-old Aussie Alex De Minaur has been at the centre of a Covid-related firestorm over the past week. There were accusations that obtained a fake vaccination passport (a fact which he has firmly denied).

De Minaur is coming off a pretty solid 2021 campaign. He won his 4th and 5th ATP titles at the Antalya Open and Eastbourne International respectively. Eight of his nine career ATP finals have come on hardcourts.

He has also started 2022 in pretty solid fashion, currently holding a 6-3 win-loss record for the year. His last outing was a quarterfinal run at the Rotterdam Open. Stefanos Tsitsipas said he was surprised by his quality at various stages of their quarterfinal clash.

Verdict: De Minaur to win at 12/10

The Aussie actually won their only previous encounter at the 2020 US Open. De Minaur is nicknamed ‘Speed Demon’ for his on-court athleticism and speed. I think those could be determining factors against Khachanov this week. The Russian has spent plenty of time on court recently while the Aussie is fresh from a week off.

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