Shanghai Masters 2024: Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Alexandre Muller preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (18) Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Alexandre Muller
Date: 4 October, 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
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Alexandre Muller preview
18th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime will square off against world No. 74 Alexandre Muller in the second round of the 2024 Shanghai Masters on Friday, October 4.
Auger-Aliassime arrived in Beijing with a 30-22 match record this year. He reached his first Masters 1000 final in Madrid, where he lost to Andrey Rublev in a three-set thriller. At the Olympics in August, he finished fourth in men’s singles and won a bronze medal in mixed doubles with Gabriella Dabrowski. He also made the semifinals in Montpellier and reached the quarterfinals in Gstaad and Munich.
Auger-Aliassime had a subdued North American hardcourt swing, with a third-round finish in Cincinnati being his best result. He suffered first-round exits at both the US Open and his home event in Montreal. Most recently, he competed at the Japan Open, losing in two tight sets to local favorite Yoshihito Nishioka.
Muller heads into the Shanghai Masters with a 14-17 match record this season. His best result so far has been a quarterfinal finish in Auckland at the start of the year. He reached the third round of the Australian Open and the second rounds of the other three majors.
Muller’s most recent appearance was at the Japan Open, where he lost in the first round of qualifying. He also exited in the first round in Chengdu a few weeks ago. However, he started his Shanghai campaign with an impressive 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 comeback win over Luca Nardi in the first round.
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Alexandre Muller head-to-head
Auger-Aliassime and Muller have yet to face off in professional competition, so their head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Alexandre Muller odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Alexandre Muller prediction
Auger-Aliassime has struggled this year, particularly on hard courts, where he's posted a 13-12 record. His best result has been a semifinal appearance, but he hasn’t won more than two consecutive matches since, with poor performance continuing during the North American hardcourt swing and in Japan last week.
Muller has also fared better on clay, with limited success on hard courts. He holds a 7-9 record on the surface this year, winning just three of six matches since Wimbledon.
Despite Auger-Aliassime's current shape, his greater tour experience should give him the edge against the less-experienced Muller. The slower surface in Shanghai could work in his favor, as he is the better shot-maker and has stronger defensive skills.
Pick: Felix Auger-Aliassime to win in straight sets.