On a busy second day at the Paris Masters, some of the big guns are set to join the fray. As ever we here at LWOT are offering our predictions for as many of the matches as possible, including Daniil Medvedev’s clash with Jeremy Chardy and defending champion Karen Khachanov’s opener against Jan-Lennard Struff, whilst London hopeful Alexander Zverev is also in action. But who will advance on day two?
Paris Masters Day Two Predictions
Taylor Fritz vs Frances Tiafoe
Head-to-head: Fritz 1-1 Tiafoe
This should be an intriguing all-American battle. Both Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe have played some excellent tennis at points this season, but neither man has been able to find much consistency. Tiafoe’s finest moment came early on in the year when he reached the Australian Open quarterfinals, but he has not been able to recapture that level. Fritz, meanwhile, won his first tour-level title on the grass in Eastbourne before reaching back-to-back finals in Atlanta and Los Cabos, but has struggled since.
Both will therefore surely be desperate to set themselves up for a good 2020 season by finishing their 2019s with a solid showing at the Paris Masters. Neither has yet enjoyed much success in Bercy, with Tiafoe set to make only his second appearance at the tournament. But both should be comfortable in the conditions. Where Fritz may be able to carve out an advantage is in his greater consistency off the ground, particularly off the backhand side. Tiafoe has the power to cause him problems, but ultimately the Californian should just edge it.
Prediction: Fritz in 3
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Kyle Edmund vs Ricardas Berankis
Head-to-head: Berankis 1-0 Edmund
It has been a torrid season for Kyle Edmund, who has lost his position as the top-ranked Briton to Dan Evans as a result of his poor form. But he has played some good tennis indoors in the past, winning his first and thus far only title in similar conditions to those at the Paris Masters in Antwerp last season. Ricardas Berankis also enjoys the conditions indoors and played some fine tennis during the qualifying, beating John Millman and Damir Dzumhur and is currently above Edmund in the world rankings. Edmund is, however, the better player of the two, with his forehand giving him a weapon that Berankis simply cannot match. But such have been his struggles with injuries and confidence this season, it is hard to see him deploying it to sufficiently good effect to beat the tenacious Lithuanian.
Prediction: Berankis in 3
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Denis Shapovalov vs Gilles Simon
Head-to-head: first meeting
Denis Shapovalov may have won his first title earlier this month at the Stockholm Open, but it has still, for the most part, been a season of real struggle for the Canadian and, perhaps tellingly, he lost first round at the Vienna Open in his last outing. Nor should he expect to have an easy time of it up against the Frenchman Gilles Simon. The veteran, once ranked as high as 6th in the world, may be past his prime, but he remains a formidable competitor.
He will make Shapovalov work hard for every point in this one, with few able to cover the court and get more balls back into play than Simon. That may be a cause for concern for Shapovalov, for whom patience has not yet shown itself to be a strong suit. But if he can remain patient and focused, and serve well, he does have the weaponry to hit through Simon and the slow conditions, which will likely prevent Simon from rushing Shapovalov, should allow him to do so.
Prediction: Shapovalov in 3
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Alexander Zverev vs Fernando Verdasco
Head-to-head: Verdasco 2-1 Zverev
Under pressure from the chasing pack, Zverev is in need of a good run at the Paris Masters to make sure of his place at the ATP Finals in London next month, where he is defending champion. But after what has been a largely difficult season, the German has found some form of late, reaching the semifinals at the China Open and the final at the Shanghai Masters, although his first-round loss last week in Basel will be a real disappointment.
Unfortunately for Zverev, he has found Verdasco a tough opponent in the past, losing two of his three meetings with the Spaniard, although they have not met since the 2017 French Open. Verdasco should be in good heart ahead of this match having impressed in beating Borna Coric in three-sets in the first round. But if Zverev can get on the front foot in this match and serve well, he should be able to impose himself on Verdasco, whose preferred tactic of targeting his opponent’s backhand with his cross-court forehand will be going into the German’s strength.
Prediction: Zverev in 3
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