The quarter-final action at the 2019 Shanghai Masters will see Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer take to court on Friday, October 11. Get the Novak Djokovic v Stefanos Tsitsipas and Roger Federer v Alexander Zverev tips, previews and predictions below along with that for a couple of other matches below.
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Novak Djokovic v Stefanos Tsitsipas Predictions & Preview
Novak Djokovic meets Stefanos Tsitsipas for the third time in his career, with the head-to-head tied at 1-1. Djokovic won the most recent meeting on the Madrid clay at the ATP Masters 1000 final this year, to avenge his shock defeat to the then lesser known Tsitsipas at the Rogers Cup in 2018, where the Greek had a strong run to announce his arrival on the circuit, being a runner-up to Rafael Nadal.
World number one Novak Djokovic is defending his title here in Shanghai, and has looked in invincible form ever since his return from injury after the US Open. The Serb won the ATP 500 in Tokyo last week maintaining strong form throughout, and looks to have continued that this week. With victories against Denis Shapovalov and John Isner, he has set himself up well for a strong run this weekend.
Young Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, along with some of the other quarter-finalists like Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, and Dominic Thiem has been earmarked as the future ‘Next Gen’ of tennis. The rising star had a good first half of the year, being a major semi-finalist at the Australian Open, winning ATP 250 titles in ‘Frantic February’, and having a good run on the clay, putting him in contention for the year end Tour Finals in London. Tsitsipas looks to have recovered from a disappointing grass and US hard court season, being a runner-up to Dominic Thiem in Beijing last week, and winning key matches this week as well.
A promising clash between the ‘Current’ and ‘Future’ of the game, and while Tsitsipas has all the tools to be dangerous, Djokovic seems to be playing at a superior level to all at the moment. Expect the Serb to win in two tight sets.
Tip: Djokovic to win in straight sets: 4/9 with Unibet
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Roger Federer v Alexander Zverev Predictions & Preview
Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev are tied at 3-3 in their head-to-head and the seventh edition of their rivalry promises to be another exciting affair.
The last time the two players met was at the 2018 ATP Tour Finals in London, with Zverev winning the semi-final encounter in straight sets and going on to defeat Novak Djokovic and win the title.
World number three Roger Federer has had a strong year, winning titles at Dubai, Miami and Halle. He had a good return to the clay, culminating in a semi-finals appearance at the French Open, and lost a pulsating Wimbledon final to Djokovic, after having two championship points on his own serve in the fifth set. Returning to the tour, after an injury ridden quarter-final loss to Grigor Dimitrov at the US Open, Federer has looked in good form against Albert Ramos-Vinalos and David Goffin here in Shanghai thus far.
After a promising 2018, young German Alexander Zverev has had a difficult 2019, winning only one ATP title (Geneva 250), and facing several disappointing early losses across the year, on different surfaces. This resulted in a drop in ranking, being ranked third at one point in 2018, and Zverev is now in a race to qualify for, and defend his title at the Tour Finals in London. After a crucial victory to secure the Laver Cup for Team Europe in Geneva last month, Zverev seems to have turned his season around with a semi-finals showing at the China Open in Beijing last week, and looking in good touch this week again.
Another thrilling contest on the cards; its anyone’s match, but expect Federer to squeeze through in a tight third set.
Tip: Federer to win in three sets: 3/1 with Unibet
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Dominic Thiem v Matteo Berrettini Predictions & Preview
This is the second meeting between Dominic Thiem and Matteo Berrettini, with the Austrian Thiem winning their only encounter in 2018 on the Roland Garros clay.
Austrian Thiem has done well to win four ATP titles this year, including two on the hard courts, at Indian Wells in March, and Beijing last week. The world number five performed well on the clay, being a French Open runner-up, but his season took a dip on the grass and US hardcourts, marred by illness. Thiem seems to have recovered well, winning the ATP 500 in Beijing last week, in turn securing a spot at the Tour Finals in London. The Austrian has looked to continue his form from Beijing, this week in Shanghai.
Young Italian Matteo Berrettini has also had a good year, following up his maiden ATP title in 2018, with two more titles this year. He had a good run at the US Open, losing in the semi-finals to Rafael Nadal, and has continued his good form over to the Asian swing, putting him in contention for a spot at the Tour Finals in London. In the previous round, Berrettini defeated fellow London contender Spain’s Roberto Bautista- Agut with a convincing performance.
Another exciting quarter-final in prospect; a lot to play for both players, and probably a little more at stake for the Italian. Thiem to come through in a three-setter and continue his strong form during this Asian swing.
Tip: Thiem to win in three sets: 7/2 with Unibet
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Daniil Medvedev v Fabio Fognini Predictions & Preview
This is the third meeting between Daniil Medvedev and Fabio Fognini. While Fognini won in Cincinnati in 2017, Medvedev won the next meeting in Sydney at the start of the 2018 season, en route his first ATP title.
Medvedev is a much more evolved player since then and is currently the leader of the pack behind the ‘Big Three’. The young Russian has had a strong year, ranked number four in the world now, and having secured a place at the ATP Tour Finals in London. He has gone from strength to strength over the latter part of the summer, playing in five consecutive finals on the hard courts. Medvedev has had two straight set wins here thus far this week, and although he was pushed by Canadian Vasek Pospisil in the last match, he still seems on course for a good run here.
Fabio Fognini has had an up and down year, and been in the news for different reasons recently. A Masters 1000 win at Monte Carlo, defeating Rafael Nadal on clay en route, catapulted his ranking to the top 10 in the world. The rest of the season has not been as promising for him, but he is in the reckoning still to qualify for the year end Tour Finals in London. In Shanghai this week, he was in the midst of a controversial match against Andy Murray but prevailed in a deciding tiebreaker, and then defeated young Russian Karen Khachanov, avenging defeat for the loss last week in Beijing.
A keen contest on the cards, and one that can really go either way, with the consistent Medvedev on one side and the unpredictable Fognini on the other. Expect a tight match, with Medvedev edging forward in three sets.
Tip: Medvedev to win in three sets: 3/1 with Unibet
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