The Tiriac Open in Bucharest returned to the tour after eight years, and while the rain had some rough moments, it should all come down to a brilliant final on Sunday. Will Mariano Navone claim his maiden title, or can Marton Fucsovics return to the winners’ circle after six years? Who do you think will come out on top?
ATP Bucharest Final Prediction
Mariano Navone vs Marton Fucsovics
Head-to-head: First meeting
Mariano Navone was dominating clay Challengers in the latter half of last year, and while at first there were some moments of doubt in terms of his ability to translate it to the main tour, the Argentinian is now playing the sort of tennis he was back then. A final in Rio de Janeiro, a semifinal in Marrakech, and the final here are just his last three events. The 23-year-old is such an expert in clay-court rallying, and it’s all based on being a phenomenal ball-striker as well.
Marton Fucsovics hadn’t made a final in three years, but the Hungarian is always there as a part of the tour and hasn’t finished outside the Top 100 since 2017. His run at ATP Bucharest started with a wild 0-6 tie-break comeback against Valentin Vacherot, but he picked it up not long after and defeated some of the title favorites like 2nd seed Tallon Griekspoor or 4th seed Alejandro Tabilo to earn himself a shot at a 2nd ATP Tour title (Geneva 2018).
Navone was a little disappointing in his previous final effort in Rio, but that, in general, felt like a run in which he was a little fortunate. It’s now that he’s feeling like the player who looked unstoppable last year, and while Fucsovics has that experience and plenty of tennis IQ, the peak game of the Argentinian is more dangerous on clay. Whether it’s by pressuring his opponent or by turning points around against his forehand, Navone seems to have the cards in his own hands here a bit more than the Hungarian does.
Prediction: Navone in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
