Miami Open 2024: Alexander Zverev vs Felix Auger-Aliassime preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (4) Alexander Zverev vs Felix Auger-Aliassime
Date: March 23, 2024
Tournament: Miami Open 2024
Round: Second Round (Round of 64)
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, US
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize Money: $8,995,555
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel/TC Plus | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Alexander Zverev vs Felix Auger-Aliassime preview
World No. 5 Alexander Zverev will take on Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round of the 2024 Miami Open on Saturday.
Zverev's solid form at the start of the season saw him claim the United Cup title with his fellow Germans. He continued to play well at the Australian Open where he reached his second career semifinal at the venue.
Zverev came quite close to making the final as he led Daniil Medvedev by two sets but ended up losing the match. He next made it to the semifinals of the Los Cabos Open, where he was stunned by Jordan Thompson. A surprise first-round exit from the Mexican Open ruined his good string of results.
Zverev scored wins over Christopher O'Connell, Tallon Griekspoor, and Alex de Minaur to make the last eight at the Indian Wells Masters. He then took on Carlos Alcaraz, who beat him quite comfortably. As one of the seeded players in Miami, he received a first-round bye.
Auger-Aliassime was drawn against qualifier Adam Walton in his opener here. The Canadian saved three set points on his serve to make it 5-5 in the first set. He then broke his opponent's serve in the very next game and served out the set after that to take a one-set lead.
The two were evenly matched for most of the second set. Auger-Aliassime nabbed the decisive break in the ninth game to go 5-4 up. He then served out the match with ease for a 7-5, 6-4 win.
Alexander Zverev vs Felix Auger-Aliassime head-to-head
Zverev leads Auger-Aliassime 5-2 in the head-to-head. The German won their prior encounter at the 2022 Madrid Open in straight sets.
Alexander Zverev vs Felix Auger-Aliassime odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Alexander Zverev vs Felix Auger-Aliassime prediction
Auger-Aliassime was on the backfoot in the first set against Walton but managed to turn the tables on his opponent to capture the set. He maintained a steady level thereafter to win the match. He blasted 32 winners against 17 unforced errors and won 81% of his first-serve points.
Zverev has been on a roll for most of the season, with just a lone early exit being a blemish on his good start. He also has the upper hand in his rivalry against Auger-Aliassime, who has fallen down the rankings over the last few months.
The Canadian's form has been shaky and he has struggled against quality opposition since last year. He's just 1-7 against top 10 players since the start of 2023, with three of those losses happening this year. Even at his best, he found it tough to counter Zverev's game and now that he's going through a rough patch, it's going to be even more difficult.
Pick: Alexander Zverev to win in straight sets.