2021 Antalya Open First Round – Salvatore Caruso vs Alexander Bublik Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Salvatore Caruso vs Alexander Bublik taking place? Antalya, Turkey
When is Salvatore Caruso vs Alexander Bublik on and what time does it start? Thursday 7th January, 2020 – Not before 12;00 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Salvatore Caruso vs Alexander Bublik? No tickets are available as this tournament will take place without spectators
What channel is Salvatore Caruso vs Alexander Bublik on? This match will not be televised live in the UK
Where can I stream Salvatore Caruso vs Alexander Bublik in the UK? This match cannot be streamed live in the UK
THE PREDICTION
Alexander Bublik is a name tennis fans like to see in the draw thanks to the 23-year-old’s sometimes explosive playing style and the Kazakhstani is a one of a few true enigmas on the tour. He reached a career-high 47th in the ATP rankings last year and has a decent 14-16 record to show for it. However, Bublik is almost always a one-off player and desperately hard to predict. He is capable of beating the likes of Felix Auger-Aliassime, Benoit Paire, Denis Shapovalov and Gael Monfils and yet, more than most, capable of beating himself. On the other side of the coin is Italy’s Salvatore Caruso, a player who towards the end of last season was really starting to see results from some tireless hard work on tour. Caruso is currently at his career-high 76th having reached the third round of the US Open and grabbing a couple of top 50 wins (including Auger-Aliassime) in the final months of the resumed season. Anything the 28-year-old achieves in the game this year will be totally earned on hard work alone and he represents a real contrast to his mercurial, frustrating opponent here. Bublik should win this match but there is a sneaking suspicion that Caruso can cause an upset here in their first matches of 2021. Caruso to win might be worth a punt here.
