Alex De Minaur vs Jan-Lennard Struff - Quarterfinals - Basel Open - Preview and Prediction

Basel throws up a potentially thrilling clash as World number 20, Alex De Minaur locks horns with number 41, Jan-Lennard Struff in the quarterfinals tonight.

Key Insights

• Both De Minaur and Struff  have not lost a set yet in this tournament
• De Minaur leads 1-0 in the head to head record against Struff
• De Minaur has won three titles this year, Sydney, Atlanta and Zhuhai Open
• Struff has won no titles this year
• Struff has reached the semifinals in Auckland and Stuttgart this year
• De Minaur did not play in Basel in 2018
• Struff lost in the pre-quarterfinals to Roger Federer in 2018
• De Minaur has already qualified for the Next-Gen ATP Finals scheduled in Milan

Coached by the legendary Lleyton Hewitt, de Minaur has made all the right moves this season. Early exits by the Australian in the recently concluded Japan Open and Shanghai Masters do little justice to his potential.

He has picked up lost ground by playing aggressive tennis in this tournament. The Next-Gen star won in straight sets against Hugo Dellien and Taylor Fritz in the round of 32 and 16 respectively.

On the other hand, the German has had a mixed year so far. He recently lost to Frances Tiafoe in the pre-quarterfinals of the Antwerp Open.

"Struffi" as he is fondly called, defeated both Miomir Kecmanovic and Henri Laaksonen in straight sets. A whopping 33 aces were hit by him in the two matches he has played so far, indicating how easily he wins his service points.

The fast indoor hard-courts of Basel would suit Struff better, though de Minaur will also look to respond to the challenge.

The "Demon", as de Minaur, is fondly called will look to be as consistent as possible. He needs to improve his low first-serve percentage of 59.5%.

A great battle can be expected between the two youngsters. While the Australian will look to get more laurels as he nears of the end of the season, the German will look to end the year on a high and try to grab a title.

Prediction - Jan-Lennard Struff to win in three sets

Cover Image Credits - Getty Images