On the first day of play at ATP Shanghai we have predictions for every match, with top performing Aussie Adam Walton and Marton Fucsovics among the players in action.
Mattia Bellucci vs Adam Walton
Head–to–Head: First Meeting
Mattia Bellucci is hoping for a solid run after a spell of indifferent results. The Italian won a Challenger in Sumter but has not posted back-to-back tour-level wins since Wimbledon. First up here, the world number 64 faces a maiden showdown with Adam Walton, who has lost his last three and has won just one of his previous six after a decent run in Cincinnati.
It’s a tricky one to call, given that both players have not really set the world on fire of late, and the fact that Walton sits just 13 places below Bellucci. Walton will feel he has the better game for hardcourts, but the Italian is capable of big ball-striking when he’s on song. It feels like it may be a battle, and with that in mind, the pendulum of momentum swinging back and forth and taking it into a decider seems like a good shout.
Prediction: Bellucci in 3
Yoshihito Nishioka vs Alexander Shevchenko
Head–to–Head: First Meeting
Alexander Shevchenko has won in seven of his last ten contests, reaching the semifinals in Chengdu and will be looking to continue his impressive form in Shanghai. He now faces Yoshihito Nishioka, who has recently ended a long drought by securing two wins in qualifying.
The Japanese player had managed to win only one of his last 18 matches and had suffered nine consecutive losses before arriving in Shanghai. It will be a sizeable challenge for Nishioka against a confident Shevchenko, who is likely to keep his winning streak going here.
Prediction: Shevchencko in 3.
Sebastian Baez vs Zhizhen Zhang
Head–to–Head: Baez 0 vs 1 Zhang
Zhizhen Zhang is returning to competition after a six-month break and managed to secure a victory in his first match back in Hangzhou, although he has since lost his last two matches.
On the other hand, Baez has been experiencing a downward trend recently, having won only three out of his last 16 matches.
Zhang has a 1-0 advantage in their previous encounters, and considering his added power combined with the backing of the home crowd, he is a strong candidate for an upset in this match.
Prediction: Zhang in 3.
Jaume Munar vs Marton Fucscovics
Head–to–Head: Munar 0 vs 2 Fucscovics
Jaume Munar will aim to return to winning form following his run to the US Open round of 16, after three consecutive losses.
The Spaniard has reached the top 40 for the first time but will need to overcome Marton Fucsovics to advance in Shanghai. The Hungarian has emerged victorious in both of their prior encounters, most recently securing a 7-5 6-3 win at Winston-Salem. Fucsovics went on to win the tournament, yet he has suffered defeats in four of his last five matches at the tour level. The 33-year-old clearly understands the strategy needed to defeat an opponent who prefers clay, and if he can recapture his form from Winston-Salem, a similar result is likely.
Prediction: Fuscovics in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images