The Barcelona Open continues with jam-packed action as players find ways to make an impact on the dirt. Jordan Thompson will play against the local favorite Jaume Munar. Thompson has shown good performance on hardcourt this season as he won the Los Cabos Open, but his performance on clay leaves much to be desired.

Munar, on the other hand, has not managed to attain more than two wins in any tournament so far. If he wants to make a statement, he needs to show complete dominance over Thompson. 

Jordan Thompson vs Jaume Munar: Preview

The Aussie player last played in the ATP Houston, where he won against Wu Yibing and Aleksandar Kovacevic. He then lost to Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinal 6-7, 4-6. He didn’t go down without a fight as he hit 4 aces past Tiafoe and managed to score 64% on first serves. Thompson also won 25 receiving points, one more than Tiafoe, showing he had the skill to be dominant over his serve. 

He gave away 2 out of 7 break points, which shows good performance under pressure, but Tiafoe was the better player. Thompson was set to appear in the Monte-Carlo Masters but withdrew due to an unspecified injury.

Munar has not found his rhythm on the court this year. He lost 5-7, 1-6 to Roman Safiullin after receiving a walkover and winning one match in the Monte Carlo qualifiers. In Barcelona, Munar won against Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 6-1. He hit one 1 ace and 4 double faults and claimed 6 break points while giving away 2. A 71% win on first serve also shows some promise for the Spanish player.

Thompson vs Munar: Head-to-Head

Munar and Thompson have traded blows once on the ATP Tour. They met in the 2021 French Open round of 128, where the Spaniard managed to gain the upper hand after a four-set battle. The clash ended 6-7, 6-1, 7-6, 6-4 for Munar. While he has shown dominance over Thompson on clay, the battle took place two years ago, and the two have changed a lot. 

Prediction: Thompson to quash Munar

Although Munar has a better record on clay, predictions state that he is not going to win the upcoming match against Thompson. The Aussie player has shown good performances this year, which puts his momentum on the higher end. Munar, on the other hand, has been abysmal, even on his preferred surface. He did manage to attain one win in Barcelona, but that came against a player who was down on his luck.

Recent statistics don’t set the two players apart too much, but their recent win records show that Thompson is the better player where it matters. Munar can win against the Aussie if he can be consistent, but he falls apart in front of players who take him to deep waters. If Thompson’s injury flares up again, Munar may be able to claim the victory. Regardless of the results, the bout will be a fun one to watch.