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Daniel Elahi Galan vs Benoit Paire: ATP Houston – first round
Two clay court specialists Daniel Elahi Galan and Benoit Paire will face each other in the opening round of the ATP Houston.
Daniel Elahi Galan Profile
Daniel Elahi Galan is 83rd in the ATP rankings, and his career high is No. 56 in the world. The Colombian is 6-8 for the season and 3-3 on clay courts.
Last week in Miami, Galan lost to Alexander Shevchenko 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 in the opening round. In Indian Wells, he made it out of the first round with a win over Jurij Rodionov and then lost to Dennis Kudla in the second round.
Galan’s best result this season was the round of 16 in Buenos Aires.
This is his fourth appearance in Houston, and his best result was the semifinal in 2019.
Benoit Paire Profile
Benoit Paire is 142nd in the ATP rankings, and his best result was No. 18 in the world. The Frenchman is 6-11 for the season and has yet to play his first match on clay court this season.
Paire is coming off a 6-1, 7-6 loss to Lucas Klein in the first qualifying round in Miami. Previously, he retired in the second round in Phoenix after defeating Hamad Medjedovic in the opener.
Paire’s best result this season was the quarterfinal at the Noumea Challenger.
This is his first appearance in Houston since 2016, when he reached the round of 16.
Head-to-Head
This will be the first match between these two players.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both players are struggling this season and are going to Houston with a losing record. Paire has been in downfall for years now, and he has made a name for himself as one of the players who often lacks effort. Galan, on the other hand, is one of the best South American players, and he plays his best tennis on clay courts. This will be the first match between these two players, which makes it a little difficult to predict, but given the approach to the match and the current rankings, Galan is the favorite and will find his way to the next round.
