Rafael Nadal vs Zizou Bergs
Thursday, May 9, 2024
Rafael Nadal -714 / Zizou Bergs +450 Click Here for the Latest Odds
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10-time Italian Open champion Rafael Nadal will face Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs in the first round of the 2024 Rome Masters. The match is scheduled for Thursday, May 9, 2024. Here's our Rafael Nadal vs Zizou Bergs prediction.
Rafael Nadal vs Zizou Bergs Preview
Rafael Nadal will likely play his final Italian Open. Last week, Nadal bid farewell to his home tournament in Madrid, where he lost to Jiri Lehcka in round 16. It has to be said that it was a big improvement both performance-wise and fitness-wise compared to Barcelona, where he fell in the second hurdle. According to reports from Italy, he is hitting the ball with real authority and even won a practice match against a top 30 player, Francisco Cerundolo. He doesn't have an easy draw, with a potential second-round meeting against top 10 player Hubert Hurkacz.
Zizou Bergs has been on this stage before, entering a lion’s den, but he hasn’t quite been harmful and successful. Despite painstakingly building his ranking on the ATP Challenger Tour, where he has recorded some impressive results, the Belgian is still hovering just outside the top 100. He’s 24 now, and a massive upset over Nadal will most likely take him closer to breaking the centurion club. Bergs bagged two wins in qualifying to reach the Italian Open main draw for the first time. Can he win on debut?
Rafael Nadal vs Zizou Bergs Head-To-Head
• This will be the first career meeting on the ATP Tour between Nadal and Bergs.
• Bergs is 12-3 on clay this year, reaching the Sarasota Challenger final (runner-up) and winning in Tallahassee.
• Nadal is 4-2 on clay this season but has not played a full schedule because of injuries.
Rafael Nadal vs Zizou Bergs Prediction
Nadal is the greatest clay-court player of all time, and his record in Rome is unmatched. With this being possibly his last Italian Open, expect the Spaniard to sink his teeth into it. Bergs is a great player, but with modest weapons to hurt Nadal on his favorite surface. And with the Spaniard making radical improvements with his health, expect him to power into the second round.