Geneva Open 2022: Denis Shapovalov vs Ilya Ivashka preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Denis Shapovalov vs Ilya Ivashka
Date: 18 May 2022
Tournament: Geneva Open 2022
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Geneva, Switzerland
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor clay
Prize money: €534,555
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | India - Discovery
Denis Shapovalov vs Ilya Ivashka preview
After a first-round bye, third seed Denis Shapovalov will take on Ilya Ivashka in the second round of the 2022 Geneva Open on Wednesday.
Shapovalov commenced his clay season at the Madrid Open. After a straight-sets win over Ugo Humbert in the first round, he lost to former World No. 1 Andy Murray in three sets. Heading into the Italian Open, the Canadian hadn't won consecutive matches since the Dubai Tennis Championships in February.
Shapovalov kicked off his campaign in Rome with a tough three-set win over Lorenzo Sonego. He then defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili in two tight sets to set up a third-round encounter with defending champion Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard defeated him in a five-set thriller at the Australian Open earlier in the year.
Shapovalov turned the tables on the 21-time Major champion to defeat him in three sets. He lost to Casper Ruud 7-6(7), 7-5 in the quarterfinals. A finalist in Geneva last year, the Canadian will aim to go all the way this time around.
Shapovalov solves the Rafa riddle 🙌
He stuns Nadal 1-6 7-5 6-2 to reach the Rome QFs!
@denis_shapo | @InteBNLdItalia | #IBI22 https://t.co/WaWhUn70ko
Ilya Ivashka has endured a tough clay season so far, winning just three matches. His best results have been second-round appearances at the Barcelona Open and the BMW Open.
Ivashka arrived in Geneva after two consecutive first-round losses in Madrid and Rome to Lorenzo Musetti and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in three hard-fought sets. He was down a set in the first round here, but staged a comeback to defeat Marcos Giron 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Denis Shapovalov vs Ilya Ivashka head-to-head
The duo have faced off thrice before, with Shapovalov leading 3-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2021 Miami Open in three sets. This will be their first meeting on clay.
Denis Shapovalov vs Ilya Ivashka odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Denis Shapovalov vs Ilya Ivashka prediction
Shapovalov will be brimming with confidence after his performance in Rome and will head into this encounter as the favorite. Ivashka would've been relieved to end his losing skid with a first-round win in Geneva. However, the Belarusian has won two matches in a row just once this year, at the Open 13 Provence in February.
Ivashka put up some impressive serving numbers in his first-round win over Giron. He hit nine aces and won 84% of his first serve points. He was also successful in saving six of the nine break points he faced.
The Belarusian will need to replicate his performance against Shapovalov, who's an equally good server. The Canadian, however, can be error prone at times. If not executed well, his high-risk style of play can often let him down.
Being left-handed could give Shapovalov a slight edge. His game isn't particularly suited to clay, but he's a fierce competitor and has had some memorable results on the surface. As long as the Canadian stays patient and doesn't pull the trigger too soon, he should be able to get over the finish line.
Pick: Denis Shapovalov to win in straight sets.