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US Open 2020: David Goffin vs Denis Shapovalov preview, head-to-head & prediction

David Goffin
David Goffin

Match details

Fixture: David Goffin vs Denis Shapovalov

Date: 6 September 2020

Tournament: US Open 2020

Round: Fourth round (Round of 16)

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $39,024,000

Match timing: 7 pm EDT, 4.30 am IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP

David Goffin vs Denis Shapovalov preview

A mouth-watering fourth-round clash awaits all tennis fans as seventh seed David Goffin takes on 12th seed Denis Shapovalov at the 2020 US Open on Sunday.

Goffin and Shapovalov both overcame in-form opponents - Filip Krajinovic and Taylor Fritz respectively - in the previous round. However, the manner in which each player achieved victory was far from similar.

The young Canadian had to toil hard for a five-set victory in which he was not only down by two sets to one but also trailed 2-5 in the fourth. On the other hand, Goffin won in straight sets.

Denis Shapovalov
Denis Shapovalov

Shapovalov vastly elevated his game - especially his serve - in the last two sets to get the better of the American. The Canadian produced 31 winners and committed only 10 unforced errors in those sets, in what was arguably his best tennis of the year.

David Goffin, however, is no stranger to big hitters, having successfully faced the likes of Reilly Opelka, Lloyd Harris and Filip Krajinovic so far. The Belgian has played some clever tennis, especially on the defensive side of things, to escape largely unscathed from his matches.

The Belgian will also be the more well-rested player of the two, as this fourth-round clash would be Shapovalov’s fourth match in three days. The Canadian, who is also doing double’s duty alongside Rohan Bopanna, will not be afforded a day’s rest despite playing twice yesterday.

It remains to be seen how the 21-year-old deals with the physical strain of all these matches in such a short period of time.

David Goffin vs Denis Shapovalov head-to-head

David Goffin leads Denis Shapovalov 1-0 in the h2h
David Goffin leads Denis Shapovalov 1-0 in the h2h

David Goffin leads Denis Shapovalov by a margin of 1-0 in the head-to-head. The pair played each other in Tokyo last year, with the Belgian narrowly winning the match in two tie-breaks.

David Goffin vs Denis Shapovalov prediction

David Goffin and Denis Shapovalov are both offensive baseline players, who possess the ability to hit big off both wings. Goffin’s two-handed backhand is widely regarded to be among the best on the tour, while Shapovalov’s one-hander is as spectacular as a shot can get.

Denis Shapovalov
Denis Shapovalov

Shapovalov has the bigger serve of the two, but Goffin is an exceptional returner. That said, the Canadian's lefty wide angle in the ad court will be tough even for Goffin to deal with.

That particular play helped Shapovalov repeatedly open up the court against Fritz, and it could yield similar results against Goffin. The Canadian can also look to attack Goffin’s considerably weaker second serve with his power-packed returns.

This is a difficult match to call as both players have exceptional skills, but Goffin comes in with more experience. That will likely play a role if the match goes the distance, as the Belgian might be able to draw out errors from the relatively inconsistent Shapovalov.

Prediction: David Goffin to win in five sets.

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