David Goffin vs. Diego Schwartzman Prediction: Gritty Battle for a Spot In Quarterfinal

On Thursday, October 20, world number 19 Diego Schwartzman will face 58th-ranked David Goffin in the second round of the 2022 European Open in Antwerp.

Gilles Arnaud Bailly's career-high global ranking is 1171st. You read it correctly, he has a four-digit ranking and was playing in this first-round match after receiving a wildcard.

It was no surprise that he began at 9/1 odds against Goffin, but this did not appear to concern him. Perhaps that affected Goffin a little, as the 58th-ranked player required more than three hours to beat Bailly.

Goffin won 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-4 after his opponent's service was broken five times in five chances. He also broke Bailly five times, with the difference being in the first set tie-breaker, in which he overcame a set point and required four of his own to prevail.

Goffin will need to improve significantly on his second serve, which he won only 42% of the time against Schwartzman.

While Schwartzman had a few of decent performances earlier in the season, including third-round appearances at the Cincinnati Masters and US Open, he comes into this match on the tail of some problems.

After losing in straight sets in the third round of the US Open to Frances Tiafoe, he went on to lose in the Davis Cup, Laver Cup, and then in the first round of the Tel Aviv Open against Arthur Rinderknech.

Schwartzman has struggled this season, particularly on surfaces other than clay, where he has a meager 12-13 win-loss record.

He earned a bye in the first round and is now up against a player who has had his own troubles. However, playing in a hardcourt competition evens things out somewhat considering his personal troubles on the court.

There have been three prior ATP tour encounters between these two, with Goffin leading 2-1. This includes the Belgian player's Antwerp Open triumph in 2016.

They also played two further matches, the Davis Cup and the Laver Cup, both of which Goffin won. This might be a tough one, with neither player having a significant edge. We're expecting a three-game series here.

• Total Over 21.5 for 1.8
• Handiсap David Goffin (+1) for 1.82
• Total Even – No for 1.85