Casper Ruud will go for his second title on this Golden Swing when he faces Tiago Seyboth Wild in the Santiago final on Sunday. At the Pau Challenger, meanwhile, a particular intriguing championship match features Ernests Gulbis and Jerzy Janowicz.
Santiago: (WC) Thiago Seyboth Wild vs. (2) Casper Ruud
Ruud enjoyed his first real breakthrough on tour during the 2019 Golden Swing, on which he reached the Rio de Janeiro quarterfinals as a qualifier before advancing to the Sao Paolo semis one week later. It is this Santiago event that has replaced Sao Paulo on the calendar, and Ruud has already gone one step further. The 21-year-old Norwegian is through to his second final of the month (previously triumphed in Buenos Aires) with straight-set victories over Alejandro Tabilo, Federico Delbonis, and Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Up next for Ruud on Sunday is a first-ever meeting with Seyboth Wild, who received a wild card into the main draw even though this tournament no longer takes place in his native Brazil. The 19-year-old has made a name for himself this month with second-round performance in Rio de Janeiro (lost to Borna Coric in a third-set tiebreaker) and now his maiden ATP title match. Seyboth Wild has advance in Santiago by beating Facundo Bagnis, Juan Ignacio Londero, Cristian Garin (via retirement), and Renzo Olivo. It has been a tough road for the world No. 182, so Ruud has an edge in both experience and fitness.
Pick: Ruud in 2
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Pau Challenger: (WC) Jerzy Janowicz vs. Ernests Gulbis
The clock will be turned back when Gulbis and Janowicz battle for the Pau title on Sunday afternoon. Once two of the bright young stars in tennis, both players have been plagued by injuries, mental fragility, and general poor play over the past five-plus years. But from just about out of nowhere, they will face each other for the first time since 2014 in the final of a relatively big Challenger event. This marks the seventh career contest (fifth at the ATP level) between the two mercurial performers, with Gulbis leading the head-to-head series 4-2 (3-1 at the ATP level).
Gulbis’ has remained at least somewhat relevant, and this week’s run combined with a third-round finish at the Australian Open will have him well inside the top 200 on Monday. Janowicz is ranked 1,039th and lost in the second round of his previous two Challenger appearances in 2020. Nonetheless, the 29-year-old from Poland has caught fire this week. On his way to the title match, he fired 81 aces and did not get broken a single time. Based on that kind of serving dominance, this is a great chance for the former Wimbledon semifinalist.
Pick: Janowicz in 3
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