There will be a new champion at the Shanghai Masters in 2019 after both Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer fell in the quarterfinals. But will it be US Open finalist Daniil Medvedev or defending ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev who walks away with the title and prize money of $1,374,995, the largest outside the four Grand Slams.
Shanghai Masters Final Prediction
Daniil Medvedev vs Alexander Zverev
Head-to-head: Zverev 4-0 Medvedev
The semifinals of the Shanghai Masters produced the youngest line-up since the German Open in 1999. And it was the third seed Medvedev, yet to drop a set so far in Shanghai, who led the charge. The Russian further extended his head-to-head advantage over Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas with a 7-6 7-5 win and extended his outstanding run by making his sixth-straight final, three of which have come at Masters 1000-level. After losing his first at the Rogers Cup, he will be looking to add to his triumph in Cincinnati.
Zverev, meanwhile, earned his first top ten win of the season this week when he withstood a second-set fightback to beat two-time Shanghai Masters champion Federer in a three-set thriller in the quarterfinals. He backed that victory up by dismissing the challenge of US Open semifinalist Matteo Berrettini in straight-sets, 6-3 6-4. That win gave him much-needed breathing room in the increasingly competitive Race to London and he will now surely feel confident of claiming a Masters 1000 title for the third season in a row.
Who will win?
Zverev’s impressive form in Asia has been one of the few high points in a generally disappointing season. He served extremely well in his victory over Berrettini, particularly in the first set during which he lost just two points behind his serve. But he will need to serve that well again, if not even better, when he takes on Medvedev, who he will struggle to match from the back of the court.
The Russian is in the form of his life and, even when playing below his usual best, he is still able to grind out a result as evidenced by his narrow win over the qualifier Vasek Pospisil. Zverev despite the impressive strides he has made this week, has still looked vulnerable and short of focus at times. Expect Medvedev, who has improved massively since this pair’s most recent meeting at the Rogers Cup in 2018, to punish such lapses.
Prediction: Medvedev in 3
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