Zhizhen Zhang vs Thiago Monteiro Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Italian Open

Prediction published on 13/05/2024, 04:06  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 13/05/2024 at 05:07 in ATP Italian Open Predictions

We're guaranteed an unseeded player in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open. Qualifier Thiago Monteiro takes on unseeded Zhihzen Zhang in the last 16 of this outdoor clay court tournament. For the winner, their quarter-final opponent will be either 16th seed Karen Khachanov or 29th seeded Alejandro Tabilo. Monteiro is up to 84th after beginning this tournament ranked 106th. He's still got a way to go to beat his career-high of 61st achieved two years ago. He is in excellent form on clay this year. He had to win two qualifying matches to get into the main draw and since then has beaten Gael Monfils, 32nd seeded Jordan Thompson and Miomir Kecmanovic. Only in the third round has the Brazilian dropped a set. Before this tournament he's reached the last eight in Rio and beaten Stefanos Tsitsipas on his way to the last 32 in Madrid.

Zhihzen Zhang made it to the last 16 with a straight sets win over 12th seed Ben Shelton on Sunday. Before this year he'd never won a match in this tournament after losing in the first qualifying round in 2023. He is the world 56 but this run to the fourth round has seen him rise to 51st, five places below his highest ever ranking. That would be beaten if he wins this match as Monteiro can go as high as 42nd. Wins have come against Daniel Elahi Galan and the 19th seeded Adrian Mannarino before beating Shelton. We tip Monteiro to win this match.