2021 Australian Open First Round – Fabio Fognini vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Fabio Fognini vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert taking place? Melbourne Park, Melbourne
When is Fabio Fognini vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert on and what time does it start? Tuesday 9th February, 2021 – not before 03:15 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Fabio Fognini vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert? Click here to reach the official 2021 Australian Open ticket selection
What channel is Fabio Fognini vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert on? The 2021 Australian Open will be televised on Eurosport so it is worth checking their schedule for this specific match
Where can I stream Fabio Fognini vs Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the UK? Sky customers can stream this match on the Sky Go app. Alternatively, the match can be streamed to subscribers of Eurosport Player, either on the official website or as an add-on to an Amazon Prime subscription
THE LOWDOWN
FABIO FOGNINI
- 33-year-old Fabio Fognini lost his first ATP Cup match poorly to Dennis Novak last week but found his mojo when it mattered to take Team Italy all the way to the final, beating Benoit Paire and Pablo Carreno Busta along the way.
- The world number 17 lost to Jeremy Chardy in the round of 16 at the Antalya Open last month to give him a decent 3-3 record coming into the Australian Open.
PIERRE-HUGUES HERBERT
- World number 84 Pierre-Hugues Herbert will be targeting the Men’s Doubles title here in Melbourne alongside Nicolas Mahut but the Frenchman has enjoyed some recent wins in the singles too.
- The 29-year-old made the second round of the Great Ocean Road Open last week as part of his warm-up for the Australian Open, of which he won with Mahut in the Men’s Doubles back in 2019.
THE PREDICTION
Pierre-Hugues Herbert has won all four Grand Slams alongside his seasoned doubles partner Nicolas Mahut and the French pair will have every chance of doing so again this year, backed-up by some recent successes in rare singles outings for both players. However, Herbert is probably a week too late to have a chance against Fabio Fognini as the Italian managed to dump all his poor form in the first ATP Cup match against Dennis Novak and has since looked strong despite losing in the final to the imperious Andrey Rublev. Herbert is a patient player who could pounce on a lessening of pressure by the firebrand Italian and so Fognini to win a match that both players take a set in seems a reasonable call.
