Queen's Club 2023: Frances Tiafoe vs Botic van de Zandschulp preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick | Cinch Championships
Match Details
Fixture: (4) Frances Tiafoe vs Botic van de Zandschulp.
Tournament: Cinch Championships 2023.
Round: First round (Round of 32).
Venue: London, United Kingdom.
Category: ATP 500.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: €2,195,175.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Frances Tiafoe vs Botic van de Zandschulp preview
Fourth seed Frances Tiafoe will face off against Botic van de Zandschulp in the first round of the 2023 Cinch Championships.
Tiafoe headed to Germany to begin his grass swing by competing in the Boss Open. As the third seed, he received a bye into the second round, where he was up against Jiri Lehecka. The American defeated him in straight sets to book a quarterfinal showdown against Lorenzo Musetti.
Tiafoe lost the first set against the Italian but staged a comeback to win the match in three sets. He then took on Marton Fucsovics in the semifinals and scored a 6-3, 7-6 (11) win over him to reach his maiden final on grass. The 25-year-old will duke it out against Jan-Lennard Struff in the championship round on Sunday.
The Cinch Championships will be van de Zandschulp's first tournament of the grass season. He hasn't competed since losing in the first round of the French Open. He's also on a four-match losing streak at the moment, which started with his loss in the final of the BMW Open in April.
Van De Zandschulp did reach the semifinals here last year, knocking out players like Grigor Dimitrov and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. He then lost to eventual champion Matteo Berrettini in straight sets.
Frances Tiafoe vs Botic van de Zandschulp head-to-head
Tiafoe leads van de Zandschulp 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2022 Citi Open in three sets.
Frances Tiafoe vs Botic van de Zandschulp odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Frances Tiafoe vs Botic van de Zandschulp prediction
Tiafoe has started his grass season on a strong note by reaching the final of the Boss Open. He saved six set points in the second set during his win over Fucsovics and didn't face a single break point either. Should the American win the title on Sunday, he'll also make his debut in the top 10 of the ATP rankings.
Van de Zandschulp, on the other hand, has been going through a rough patch of late. It has been almost two months since he last tasted victory. The transition from clay to grass is not an easy one.
It'll be van de Zandschulp's first match on the surface, while Tiafoe has already garnered enough momentum. The latter's serve and footwork will give him a considerable edge against the Dutchman.
The two arrive in London on the heels of contrasting results. Van de Zandschulp is a capable player on grass, having reached the fourth round of Wimbledon last year. However, Tiafoe's superior form at the moment makes him the favorite to win this duel.
Pick: Frances Tiafoe to win in straight sets.