Hamburg European Open 2021: Pablo Carreno Busta vs Filip Krajinovic preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (2) Pablo Carreno Busta vs (6) Filip Krajinovic

Date: 18 July 2021

Tournament: Hamburg European Open

Round: Final

Venue: Hamburg, Germany

Category: ATP 500

Surface: Clay

Prize money: €1,030,900

Live telecast: USA – ESPN / Tennis Channel

Pablo Carreno Busta vs Filip Krajinovic preview

Pablo Carreno Busta takes on sixth seed Filip Krajinovic in the final of the 2021 Hamburg European Open on Sunday.

Carreno Busta has had a solid 2021 season so far, having won a title on clay in Marbella. The Spaniard boasts a 19-9 win-loss record this year, and has been a permanent fixture in the top 15 of the world rankings.

Carreno Busta has also been nearly flawless in Hamburg so far. The 30-year-old has defeated Carlos Taberner, Dusan Lajovic and Federico Delbonis in straight sets to reach the final.

Filip Krajinovic, meanwhile, didn’t have a great 2021 before the start of this tournament. The World No. 44 had run up an underwhelming 9-10 win-loss record for the year, with no titles to his name.

But Krajinovic has made a strong statement with his performances in Hamburg. The Serb defeated top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a three-set quarterfinal, before registering a straight-sets win over compatriot Laslo Djere in Saturday’s semifinal.

Pablo Carreno Busta vs Filip Krajinovic head-to-head

The 2021 Hamburg European Open final is the second match between the two players, and Filip Krajinovic currently leads the head-to-head 1-0 over Pablo Carreno Busta.

The Serb defeated Carreno Busta in a three-set semifinal at Stockholm back in 2019.

Pablo Carreno Busta vs Filip Krajinovic prediction

Pablo Carreno Busta comes into the encounter as the slight favorite given his superior ranking and form in 2021. The Spaniard’s patient and dogged style of play has reaped rewards on the red dirt all year, and particularly so this week in Hamburg.

Carreno Busta’s serve has been a key contributor to his success, helping him come through three tiebreakers. He can more than hold his own from the baseline too, and has solid groundstrokes off both wings.

Filip Krajinovic, on his part, will also look to rely on his consistency off the ground to win the first ATP title of his career. The Serb’s powerful two-handed backhand can be a huge weapon on slower surfaces, and his abilities on the return of serve are well-known.

All things considered, however, Carreno Busta is playing better tennis right now. If he keeps serving well and avoids any major lapses, he should be able to march to his second title of the year on Sunday.

Prediction: Pablo Carreno Busta to win in three sets.