After a thrilling start to the week at the Paris Masters in Bercy, the quarterfinal line-up is set. The battle for the year-end #1 ranking between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal is set to continue, whilst the race to claim the last spot at the ATP Finals could be decided. But who will book their place in the last four?
Paris Masters Quarterfinal Predictions
Grigor Dimitrov vs Cristian Garin
Head-to-head: first meeting
Whilst few would have predicted that either Grigor Dimitrov or Cristian Garin would have been amongst the last eight men standing at the Paris Masters at the start of the week, there is no denying that they both deserve their place. The Bulgarian has been in superb form so far in Bercy. Although he did drop the first set against the in-form Ugo Humbert in his opener, he rallied swiftly to record a 4-6 6-1 6-2 win and backed that up by beating both 12th seed David Goffin and world #5 Dominic Thiem in straight-sets.
Garin, meanwhile, has had to work rather harder for his place in the quarterfinals, but has shown impressive composure throughout. After opening his campaign with a comprehensive 6-4 6-3 win over Pablo Cuevas, the Chilean then edged past former-finalist John Isner 7-6 7-6, before saving three match points in a thrilling 7-6 4-6 7-6 win over Frenchman Jeremy Chardy. But such has been Dimitrov’s form thus far in Paris, it is hard to see Garin stopping him.
Prediction: Dimitrov in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Novak Djokovic vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Head-to-head: Tsitsipas 2-1 Djokovic
Djokovic has not yet hit the heights in Paris, perhaps in part as the Serbian is struggling with illness. But he has nonetheless won both his matches in straight-sets, beating Corentin Moutet 7-6 6-4 and Kyle Edmund 7-6 6-1. Stefanos Tsitsipas, meanwhile, has beaten fellow young guns Taylor Fritz and Alex De Minaur, both in straight-sets, and may well feel confident heading into this contest having beaten Djokovic from a set down in the quarterfinals in Shanghai.
However, the quicker conditions in Shanghai did give Tsitsipas an advantage that he will not enjoy to the same extent on the slower courts at the Paris Masters. And whilst Djokovic made an indifferent start against Moutet, something that continued in the first set against Edmund, in the second set he found his range. If he can maintain that level against Tsitsipas, he should be able to avenge that Shanghai defeat and keep the pressure on Nadal in the battle to finish the year as the world’s best.
Prediction: Djokovic in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Denis Shapovalov vs Gael Monfils
Head-to-head: Monfils 1-0 Shapovalov
If the only previous meeting between Gael Monfils and Shapovalov is anything to go by, the fans at the Paris Masters should be in for some match when they take to the court. For Shapovalov, although it has not quite been the breakthrough season he was hoping for, it has broadly been one of progress, barring his miserable run on the clay and grass over the summer. Indeed, if he can add Monfils’ scalp to those of Gilles Simon, Fabio Fognini and Alexander Zverev, who he has already beaten this week, he will finish the year inside the top 20.
But the Frenchman has plenty to play for himself, chiefly a place at the ATP Finals in London. To secure his spot in the eight man field for the second time in his career, Monfils must reach the final. That may prove easier said than done up against Shapovalov, who has been playing with real conviction so far in Paris. The Canadian did come up just short against Monfils earlier this season at the US Open, losing in five sets, but he has played well enough in Bercy to suggest that he can avenge that defeat.
Prediction: Shapovalov in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Rafael Nadal vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Head-to-head: Nadal 9-4 Tsonga
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has reminded the crowds at the Paris Masters, and perhaps the tennis world generally, just how dangerous he can be when he is fit and firing. In his opener, he battled past the in-form Andrey Rublev, recently the champion at the Kremlin Cup, and the big Frenchman backed that up by brushing aside the challenge of 10th seed Matteo Berrettini, dropping just seven games. He then snuck past Jan-Lennard Struff, beating the German in a deciding tiebreak having come from a set down.
But he has had relatively little success against Nadal, winning just four of his 13 meetings with the great Spaniard. Nadal, despite having been out of action since the Laver Cup, showed few signs of rust in his Paris Masters opener, beating a determined Adrian Mannarino 7-5 6-4 and he backed that up by ending Stan Wawrinka’s slim London hopes. Tsonga may cause Nadal some problems with his serve and forehand, but if the world #2 can regularly find the Tsonga backhand, he should be able to keep the Frenchman relatively quiet.
Prediction: Nadal in 2
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
