Roberto Bautista Agut vs Nikoloz Basilashvili: Hamburg Open Preview and Prediction

Fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut commences his Hamburg campaign against two-time defending champion, Nikoloz Basilashvili. 

After losing in the third round of the US Open in five sets to Vasek Pospisil, Agut chose to skip the Rome Masters before flying out to Hamburg. On the other hand, Basilashvili is coming to Hamburg with a disappointing straight-set loss to Lorenzo Sonego at the Rome Masters. 

Head to Head record 

Agut leads the head to head record 2-1 against Basilashvili. All three of their previous meetings came in the best of three-set match-ups. The Georgian would look to blast his way with his strong offense against the stout defense of Agut. 

Having won both the titles of his career on clay, Basilashvili will look to strike rich form on the surface. While the added pressure of going for a third consecutive title at Hamburg could affect his performance, he would be supremely confident of putting on a good show. 

Strengths of Agut 

He has a strong forehand and is an impressive counterpuncher. His consistent groundstrokes will trouble Basilashvili. He can get into a rhythm quickly and is one of the toughest competitors on the tour. 

Strengths of Basilashvili 

He possesses a reliable backhand and can hit through players in all areas of the court. Since he is an attacking player, he does not give much room to his opponents when he gets going in full flow. The Georgian needs to work on his temperament though. If the courts in Hamburg are slow, Basilashvili could struggle to finish off points. 

While Agut hardly makes mistakes when he is in form, he can suffocate any opponent on the court with his relentlessness and resilience. Basilashvili should start strong and not allow Agut to dictate the rallies. Agut starts as a slight favourite due to Basilashvili's poor run of form. But, because the Georgian has delivered the best performances of his career here, he cannot be discounted either. 

Prediction - Roberto Bautista Agut to win in three sets

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