American tennis star, Tommy Paul is all set to take on the in-form Italian, Flavio Cobolli in the first round (R64) of the Cincinnati Masters. Both of these tennis stars got eliminated in the R32 of the Canadian Open. However, Cobolli recently reached the finals of the Citi Open in Washington. Can the 22-year-old make yet another astonishing run in Cincinnati or will the experience of Paul will see the American through in the first round on his home soil?

Tommy Paul vs Flavio Cobolli: Preview

Although Paul struggled a bit in Montreal, he has displayed some stellar performances on the hard courts this year. He has already won two tournaments this year. Apart from that, he has also reached one final, two SFs, and three QFs (including the Paris Olympics) in his previous outings. Fans are keen to see him get back to winning tracks ahead of the US Open. In his last match, he gave a tough fight against his compatriot Brandon Nakashima but eventually, he was defeated by the youngster in a three-set-thriller.

Cobolli’s best record this season was reaching the finals at the Citi Open. However, he couldn’t get past Sebastian Korda in the finals. He tried to make a strong comeback in the Canadian Open but was defeated by Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) in two sets in the R32. If we take a look at his previous results this season, apart from reaching the finals in Washington, he has also reached one SF and three QFs in his previous tournaments. Has he ever faced Paul in his career, though?

Paul vs Cobolli: Head-to-Head

Well, the answer is a big no! They haven’t yet faced each other on the Tour, so both the players would be keen to have the last laugh in their first meeting. If Cobolli brings flare to the game, then Paul brings calm and composure with his cool presence on the court. Who has the real edge in this enticing encounter?

Prediction: Paul to win in straight sets

Paul is well-versed in this condition in Cincinnati. The 27-year-old American tennis star is a real threat on hard courts and has a higher chance of going deep into the tournament. On the other hand, this will be the first time that Cobolli will be playing in the main draw of the Cincinnati Open. So, here is one factor that keeps Paul slightly ahead of the youngster. The other factor is surely going to be their overall form in this season. Paul has a win-loss record of 32-12 this season, compared to Cobolli’s 26-21. Even in the rankings, Paul (13) is way ahead of Cobolli (31)!

Although, the Italian has played well in Washington, beating Paul would surely be a mammoth task here. Paul loves to win the race by hitting the ace! His powerful serves has given him favorable results on the hard courts this year. So far, he has hit 129 aces on the hard court. Surely he’d love to increase the numbers before heading to New York for the major tournament. His strong attacking forehand and solid footwork along the baseline is purely a bliss to watch. Paul is often seen rushing to the nets to finish off the points. Are we going to see a similar approach to the game in the first round? Time will tell! What we can tell as of now is what Paul is going to face on the opposite side of the net.

Cobolli is known for his incredible defensive skills and counter-attacking style of play. The Italian has a string forehand and he’s also a good returner of the ball. However, the youngster has struggled a bit with his serves in the past. He needs to work a bit on that to bring more favorable results in his matches. For example, in his previous match against Rinderknech in Montreal, he hit just a single ace but committed 4 double faults. Considering all these factors, Paul looks to be a clear-cut favorite in this matchup.