The first round matches at the 2019 Shanghai Masters continue on Monday, October 7, with some of the top players in action today. Get the Denis Shapovalov v Frances Tiafoe & Andy Murray v Juan Ignacio Londero tips, previews and predictions below along with that for a couple of other matches below.
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Denis Shapovalov v Frances Tiafoe Predictions & Preview
Denis Shapovalov and Frances Tiafoe meet for the fourth time in their careers. The Canadian leads the head-to-head 2-1, with all the matches having been played on the hard-courts. While Tiafoe won their first meeting at Delray Beach in 2018, en route his first and only ATP 250 title thus far, Shapovalov was victorious at Cincinnati last year and Miami earlier this year.
At 20 and 21 years of age respectively, Shapovalov and Tiafoe have already impressed with their abilities very early on in their careers. However, neither has managed to maintain the level of consistency they would have hoped for or that will be expected from them going forward as they look to be frontrunners on the tour in the years to come.
While Shapovalov’s season got off well, being a semi-finalist at the Masters 1000 in Miami and being ranked 20th in the world thereafter, his summer saw a slump in form with several early exits. The last few weeks have seen him make some spirited runs, largely aided by Mikhail Youzhny in his box now, bringing more confidence to his game. Ranked number 32nd in the world, he will look to end the year well and have a good run here this week.
After winning Delray Beach in 2018, and doing well at the Australian Open last year, a lot was expected from Tiafoe, but he has failed to deliver this season. Ranked just within the top 50, he still has a long career ahead of him at just 21 years of age, but he will hope to recover some lost form in what remains of this season.
An exciting clash on the cards, but Shapovalov has looked a lot better of the two in recent times; expect the Canadian to win in three sets.
Tip: Shapovalov to win in three sets: 13/4 with Unibet
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Andy Murray v Juan Ignacio Londero Predictions & Preview
Andy Murray and Juan Ignacio Londero meet for the first time, with Murray on the comeback trail and Londero looking to end his best year thus far on the tour well.
Former world number one Andy Murray is on his return to the tour from hip surgery, and looked the best he has since his comeback. The Asian swing has worked well for his game and confidence thus far with him making a quarter-final appearance at the recently concluded ATP 500 in Beijing, defeating top ten player Matteo Berrettini en route. Murray has talked about hoping to be back in the top 20 in the world, and will look to get better with each tournament.
Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Londero has been on the tour for a couple years, but this has by far been his best season. He is ranked just outside the top 50, which is a career high ranking for him, and won his first title earlier this year, at the Cordoba Open. The Argentine made the fourth round at the French Open before losing to Rafael Nadal, and will look to end the hard and indoor court season confidently.
A good battle awaits us between two good strikers of the ball; expect a three-setter, with Murray’s experience and newly restored confidence taking him through.
Tip: Murray to win in three sets: 27/20 with Unibet
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Fabio Fognini v Sam Querrey Predictions & Preview
Fabio Fognini and Sam Querrey have met once in the their careers thus far. That was a while ago, in 2014 at the Australian Open, where the Italian Fognini prevailed.
Fognini’s year has been highlighted by a first ever Masters 1000 title in Monte Carlo, which put him in the top ten of the ATP rankings. He has not managed to live up to those standards, but has an outside chance at qualifying for the Tour Finals in London, with a good showing over the next few weeks.
Sam Querrey is ranked number 55 in the world, and has fallen from being a top ten player for most of 2017. The big-serving American did well to make the quarter-final last week in Beijing and will hope for a few more such runs between now and the end of the year, to end the season better.
Both players have something to play for; and their contrasting styles will make for an exciting contest. Expect Fognini to prevail in three sets.
Tip: Fognini to win in three sets: 10/11 with Unibet
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Albert Ramos-Vinalos v Marin Cilic Predictions & Preview
Marin Cilic and Ramos-Vinalos meet for the seventh time in their careers. Incidentally, the last time they met was in the quarter-finals here in Shanghai in 2017, where Cilic emerged victorious.
Cilic is in the midst of a poor season by his standards, not having won any ATP titles all year, and dropped to number 30 in the rankings. The 2014 US Open winner and three time major finalist, will now hope he ends his season on a positive note. He was a semi-finalist at the Shanghai Masters two years ago.
Clay court specialist Ramos-Vinalos has also had an indifferent season after a career revival two years ago, on the European clay. He will be bolstered by his victory over the in-form Gael Monfils, here during the Asian swing last week.
A match where both players will want to avoid a first round exit and get into some good form, ahead of a second round clash with Roger Federer; expect Cilic to win in two tight sets.
Tip: Cilic to win in two sets: 6/5 with Unibet
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