Denis Shapovalov vs Alexander Zverev Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Mutua Madrid Open

Prediction published on 27/04/2024, 09:05  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 12/05/2024 at 17:22 in ATP Mutua Madrid Open Predictions

Fourth seed Alexander Zverev takes on unseeded Denis Shapovalov for a place in round four of the Madrid Masters. Whoever wins this match will be up against either 15th-seeded Tommy Paul or 21st seed Francisco Cerundolo in the next round. Zverev is fifth in the latest ranking list but a place higher in the Live ATP Race. He has a strong record in this outdoor clay court tournament and lifted the rophy here in 2018 and 2021. Another final was reached in 2022 and the fourth round last year. Last week saw him get to the quarter-finals of the BMW Open. Only in Monte Carlo has he failed to reach the last eight of a tournament and even then it took eventual winner Stefanos Tsitsipas to beat him. Round two of this tournament saw him beat Borna Coric for the loss of only five games.

Denis Shapovalov has lost five of his eight previous matches against Zverev, including two of the last three. They've only met once on clay and that was in the semi-finals of this tournament six years ago with Zverev winning. Shapovalov has slipped down the rankings in recent years and was at 132nd in last Monday's list and 156th in the ATP Race. He's beaten Facundo Diaz Acosta (needing three sets) and 26th-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry to reach this third round. Those wins have taken him to 124th in the live list and 127th in the ATP Race. Only once has he won two matches in a tournament this year. We go for Zverev to win this in straight sets.