Aslan Karatsev vs Ben Shelton Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Japan Open

Prediction published on 21/10/2023, 17:32  by Joseph King | Modified on 21/10/2023 at 17:58 in Tennis Predictions

The ATP Tokyo final is set with two unseeded players facing off for the title. 50th-ranked Aslan Karatsev will do battle with the talented, 21-year-old Ben Shelton to decide who lifts the trophy.   30-year-old Karatsev is into his first final of 2023 after previously being denied three separate times in various semi-finals. He was knocked out at the final four in the Tata Open Maharashtra, the Madrid Open and most recently the Zhuhai Open last month. Karatsev is having a fine tournament and has knocked out a pair of top-15 ranked players on his way to the final. He eliminated 14th-ranked Frances Tiafoe in the first round before overcoming 13th-ranked Alex De Minaur in the quarter-final. Karatsev’s most recent outing saw him beat surprise Wild Card contender Shintaro Mochizuki in straight sets. He comes into this final with a record of 32 wins and 20 losses on the season, 13 of which have come on hard courts.

American Ben Shelton is seeking his first ATP tournament win in his first full season on the tour. This is the first final that the exciting young talent has made after coming up just short in the US Open. Shelton was eliminated by Novak Djokovic on that day in the semi-final to deny him what would have been a sensational run to the final in front of the home crowd. His previous best finish this year was making the quarter-finals of the Australian Open back in January. Shelton notably knocked out 12th-ranked Tommy Paul in the quarters before a 2-1 win over Marcos Giron in the semis. The 19th-ranked pro has accumulated a record of 27 wins and 24 losses in 2023 but it’s the last few months where he has been at his best. He enters this matchup on a run of eight wins from his last nine appearances.