Shanghai Masters 2024: Ben Shelton vs Denis Shapovalov preview, head-to-head, prediction, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (16) Ben Shelton vs Denis Shapovalov
Date: Friday, October 4
Tournament: Shanghai Masters 2024
Round: Second Round (Round of 64)
Venue: Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, Shanghai, China
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $8,995,555
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Ben Shelton vs Denis Shapovalov preview
Two big-hitting players, Ben Shelton and Denis Shapovalov, will lock horns in the second round of the 2024 Shanghai Masters.
Shelton, the 16th seed at this year’s tournament, comes into Shanghai having failed to defend his crown in Tokyo. The American, who had lifted the Japan Open title 12 months ago, lost in the quarterfinals to Arthur Fils. The result came in quick succession of him having to match his US Open performance from last year as well after a third-round exit in New York.
He still has a decent 33-21 win-loss record for the season, which includes a title in Houston.
Shapovalov, meanwhile, continues his return from a knee injury sustained last year. He has found the going tough with only a quarterfinal at the Citi Open to show for his efforts.
In Beijing, he has posted a few solid wins. The Canadian came through the qualification draw before posting a 7-6(5), 7-6(8) win over Lorenzo Sonego in his opening round. He will look to keep the winning momentum going but faces a difficult opponent.
Ben Shelton vs Denis Shapovalov head-to-head
Shelton leads Shapovalov 2-0 in their current head-to-head. Both of their matches took place this year. While he won in five sets at Wimbledon, the Canadian retired in their encounter at Washington.
Ben Shelton vs Denis Shapovalov odds
(Odds will be added once they're available)
Ben Shelton vs Denis Shapovalov prediction
Both Ben Shelton and Denis Shapovalov possess explosive games built around big serves and booming groundstrokes.
The American, in fact, has been averaging 10 aces per match this season, which is the eighth highest on the tour. He will once again rely on his biggest weapon to win him a fair few easy points.
Shapovalov has also been effective on serve this week, winning over 75% of the points behind his first delivery. He will, however, need to step up his return game.
Fans can expect quick baseline rallies between the two men. Shelton, however, is the fitter of the two and will have an advantage the longer the match goes on. His superior speed and higher number of match wins under his belt should bolster his confidence and could tilt the encounter in his favor.
Prediction: Shelton to win in two tight sets.