The ATP Tour heads to Dallas, Texas, for the second consecutive year as the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex on the campus of Southern Methodist University hosts this 250-level event. The Dallas Open is the only ATP Tour indoor tournament in the United States. On day three, we wrap up the first round and begin second round action. Denis Shapovalov squares off against Yibing Wu. But who will advance?
ATP Dallas Day 3 Predictions
J.J. Wolf vs Radu Albot
Head-to-Head: first meeting
J.J. Wolf has shot up the rankings over the past 12 months. This time last year, he lost in Dallas’s first round of qualifying and was ranked No. 213 in the world. He comes into this match ranked No. 43 in the world with a chance to reach the Dallas Open quarterfinals with a win. He squares off against veteran Radu Albot. The 33-year-old spent the majority of last season playing Challenger-level events and does not have the same consistency in his game as he did at his peak. Wolf should be able to push Albot around the court with his powerful groundstrokes and end this match in straight sets.
Prediction: Wolf in 2
Daniel Altmaier vs Zachary Svajda
Head-to-Head: Altmaier 1-0 Svajda
Daniel Altmaier and American qualifier Zachary Svajda are set for battle in round one in Dallas. Altmaier won their only previous meeting; a hard-fought Challenger-level match back in 2021. The German ended the 2022 season by winning 13 of 14 Challenger matches but has yet to notch a victory in three matches this year. Svajda picked up two solid qualifying victories over Aleksander Vukic and Stefan Kozlov. Svajda has just one tour-level victory in his career, so I am intrigued to see how he handles the pressure of this match. Ultimately, Altmaier’s power will prove too challenging for the 20-year-old American.
Prediction: Altmaier in 2
Denis Shapovalov vs Yibing Wu
Head-to-Head: first meeting
The start of the 2023 season has been predictable for Denis Shapovalov. He holds a 4-2 record, with wins over players ranked lower than him and losses coming against Novak Djokovic and Hubert Hurkacz. He faces a challenging second-round match against the rising Yibing Wu. The 23-year-old is 27-5 on the Challenger Tour since the start of 2022. Wu has a consistent baseline game and always raises his level in big moments. He should be able to push Shapovalov in this match, but I like the serving prowess of the Canadian to help him seize control of the third set.
Prediction: Shapovalov in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
