Shanghai Masters 2023: Andrey Rublev vs Grigor Dimitrov preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (5) Andrey Rublev vs (18) Grigor Dimitrov
Date: October 14, 2023.
Match Timing: Not before 8 pm local time, 8 am ET, 5:30 pm IST, 12 pm GMT.
Tournament: Shanghai Masters 2023.
Round: Semifinals.
Venue: Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai, China.
Category: ATP 1000.
Surface: Hard (Indoor).
Prize money: $8,800,000.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN.
Andrey Rublev vs Grigor Dimitrov preview
Fifth seed Andrey Rublev will take on 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters.
Rublev received a bye to the second round of the Masters 1000 event by virtue of being one of the seeded. He started with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Quentin Halys and followed it up by thrashing 31st seed Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-0.
The Russian then beat 12th seed Tommy Paul 7-5, 7-5 to set up a quarterfinal clash with 32nd seed Ugo Humbertwho he convincingly beat 6-2, 6-3 to book his place in the semifinals.
Dimitrov also received a bye to the second round, where he defeated Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 6-3. He then beat 13th seed Karen Khachanov 7-6(4), 6-4 to set up a Round of 16 clash against top seed Carlos Alcaraz.
The Bulgarian lost the first set but bounced back to defeat the Spaniard 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 and script a major upset at the Shanghai Masters. He faced 22nd seed Nicolas Jarry in the quarterfinals and won a tightly-contested first set 7-6(4). He did well to win the second set 6-4 and book his place in the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters for the very first time in his career.
Andrey Rublev vs Grigor Dimitrov head-to-head
The head-to-head between the two is currently tied at 3-3. Their last meeting came in the second round of the 2022 Erste Bank Open in Vienna, with Dimitrov winning 6-3, 6-4.
Andrey Rublev vs Grigor Dimitrov odds
(All odds are sourced from BETMGM)
Andrey Rublev vs Grigor Dimitrov prediction
Rublev will enter the match as the favorite to win but Dimitrov has produced some good tennis so far in Shanghai, and considering the fact that he beat Carlos Alcaraz, he could put up a tough fight against the Russian.
Rublev has looked in imperious form in Shanghai, winning 114 out of 140 points (81.4%) on his first serve during the tournament, with 26 aces to his name. He also hit 100 winners compared to only 17 unforced errors.
The Russian loves to play aggressively from the baseline and will be eager to put pressure on Dimitrov from the very first point. His penchant for hitting fewer unforced errors also plays in his favor.
Dimitrov has also been quite impressive on his first serve so far, winning 153 out of 186 points (82.2%). He has produced 99 winners, which is considerably higher than his unforced error count of 34.
The Bulgarian will look to make the most out of his serve and his on-court movement will come in handy while dealing with Rublev's aggression. The 32-year-old's one-handed backhand is one of the very best in the game and his wide variety of shots will be crucial in his chances of winning the match.
Both players look in good form at present and the match promises to be exciting. However, Rublev's aggression and composure should be enough to take him through to the final at the Shanghai Masters.
Pick: Rublev to win in straight sets.