Shanghai Masters 2024: Andrey Rublev vs Jakub Mensik preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (6) Andrey Rublev vs Jakub Mensik
Date: October 5, 2024
Tournament: Shanghai Masters 2024
Round: Second-Round
Venue: Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, Shanghai, China
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Hardcourt (Outdoor)
Prize Money: $8,995,555
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN | India - Sony
Andrey Rublev vs Jakub Mensik preview
Sixth seed Andrey Rublev will open his 2024 Shanghai Masters campaign against Czech teen sensation Jakub Mensik in a blockbuster second-round clash on Saturday, October 5.
Rublev has had a decent season so far, though marked by inconsistency, reflected in his 39-19 match record. His standout moment came with a title win in Madrid, where he defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final, also overcoming Carlos Alcaraz en route. Earlier in the year, he claimed the Hong Kong Open title, beating Emil Ruusuvuori.
Rublev enjoyed a good North American hardcourt swing, reaching the final in Montreal and the quarterfinals in both Washington and Cincinnati. His campaign, however, ended on a low note with a fourth-round upset at the US Open by Grigor Dimitrov in five sets. He competed at the China Open last, where he suffered another disappointing loss in the quarterfinals to local wildcard Bu Yunchaokete.
Mensik has comparatively played fewer matches on tour, compiling a 19-15 record so far. He made his breakthrough in Qatar, reaching his first ATP final before losing to second seed Karen Khachanov. He claimed victories over the likes of Andy Murray, Andrey Rublev, and Gael Monfils along the way.
Mensik also made the semifinals in Umag and the quarterfinals in Mallorca. He impressed at the US Open by defeating Auger-Aliassime en route to the third round where he lost to Nuno Borges. Last week, at the China Open, Mensik fought through the qualifiers but lost in the first round to Francisco Cerundolo. He opened his Shanghai campaign with a hard-fought 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 win over Pedro Martinez in the first round.
Andrey Rublev vs Jakub Mensik head-to-head
Jakub Mensik leads Andrey Rublev 1-0 in their head-to-head. He came up trumps 6-4, 7-6(6) in their only encounter in Doha earlier this year.
Andrey Rublev vs Jakub Mensik odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Andrey Rublev vs Jakub Mensik prediction
Andrey Rublev has enjoyed success on hard courts this year, compiling a 28-11 match record on the surface and winning one title. Since Wimbledon, he's won 13 of 18 matches, though his consistency and high rate of unforced errors remain major concerns.
Mensik, on the other hand, impressed in his Shanghai opener, bar a minor hiccup in the second set. He excelled on return by converting 4 out of 6 break points and winning 42% of all return points. He notched an incredible 51 winners in comparison to 38 unforced errors and excelled at the net.
Rublev enters this match as the favorite, given his recent form and experience. Mensik, however, dominated their previous encounter, neutralizing Rublev’s serve and baseline game with his strong defensive play. With a 1-2 record against top-10 players this year, Mensik is quite capable of pulling off an upset.
Fans can expect a riveting contest between the pair. Rublev should advance if he serves well and controls proceedings at the baseline.
Pick: Rublev in three sets.