Andrea Pellegrino vs Jaime Faria

ATP Bastad R1 Preview: Andrea Pellegrino vs Jaime Faria

🧠 Form & Context

Andrea Pellegrino

• 🔥 Clay-court steamroller: 29–14 on the surface this year, with a Challenger title in Perugia and quality wins over Galan, Auger-Aliassime, and Jarry.
• ⏳ Heavy calendar, no signs of fatigue: With 44 matches under his belt already in 2025, Pellegrino has kept his body in check while playing nearly non-stop since March.
• 🎯 Smooth qualifier: Breezed past Michalski and Skatov to make the main draw, dropping just one set across both matches.
• 🇸🇪 Familiar with Bastad: Played here last year, but now arrives in far stronger form with more clay-court seasoning and momentum.

Jaime Faria

• 🧨 A rising name: Faria has shown flashes on the ATP stage this year with QF appearances in Santiago and Rio, plus wins over Munar, Barrios Vera, and Kotov.
• 🔁 Developing on clay: While his overall game is maturing fast, clay remains a work-in-progress—he’s just 6–8 on the surface this season.
• 🚨 Adjusting from grass: Came off a strong Wimbledon qualifying campaign and a 3–1 grass swing. May still be readjusting to the clay tempo and movement.
• 👶 Still raw in Europe: This is only his second ATP clay-court match in Europe—a notable step up in opponent quality and environment.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Pellegrino enters with a clear stylistic advantage. His game—based on consistent depth, patient point construction, and heavy lefty forehands—tends to dismantle players who rush or lack clay-court discipline.

Faria brings youthful power and a quick-strike mentality. His serve and forehand can do damage if he dictates play early. But the risk is high: longer rallies will likely expose his footwork and stamina, especially coming off a grass season.

The Italian’s recent wins over top-tier players show he’s capable of absorbing pressure and flipping baseline exchanges. If he maintains that form, his experience and tactical maturity should overwhelm Faria’s still-developing clay-court tools.

🔮 Prediction

Expect an energetic start from Faria, but Pellegrino’s rhythm, topspin control, and clay comfort should wear him down. The matchup favors the Italian in nearly every clay-specific metric.

Prediction: Pellegrino in 2 tight sets — experience and surface savvy should prove too much for the Portuguese newcomer.