After a roller-coaster fortnight in Shanghai, all eyes are now on the final of the penultimate Masters 1000 event of the season. Fifth seed Andy Rublev will square up against 17th seed Hurbert Hurkacz. Fittingly, both players have similar records on tour and are equal on the head-to-head with two wins apiece. The match is poised to produce fireworks from the rackets and we at LWOT join the party to predict who we think will eventually outshine the other.
ATP Shanghai Final Prediction
Andrey Rublev vs Hubert Hurkacz
Head-to-head: Rublev 2-2 Hurkacz
Rublev has simply been unstoppable in Shanghai. He’s bulldozed his way into the final without dropping a set and has lost his serve just three times. He’s also had to play only one tiebreak, in the semifinals against Grigor Dimitrov. His form was quite shaky coming into the Asian swing, but he’s excelled since his loss to Ugo Humbert in Beijing. The manner he took revenge in Shanghai was ruthless as he sent the French youngster packing 6-2 6-3.
Hurkacz, meanwhile, has taken advantage of a favourable draw to reach the final. He’s not faced a top 20 player all week, but hasutilized his booming serve to good effect to claim a number of narrow wins. Despite some inconsistencies, the Pole continues to deliver at Masters-level events. His performances at this level have significantly contributed to maintaining his top 20 ranking and he has reached at least one final in the Master series in each of the last three seasons.
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Hurkacz has a 6-1 record intour-level finals and always seems to come alive in matches like this. Rublev has a 14-8 record at the same level and while he can be accused of faltering on the big stage, he’s been on a rampage in Shanghai. Their head-to-head reads two wins apiece with Rublev having the edge on hardcourts and in the last two meetings. The Russian is the highest-ranked player left in Shanghai and a win for him will boost his chances of playing in the end-of-year ATP finals.
Hurkacz’s immense serve is a huge advantage, but Rublev has power of his own and his wins over Humbert and Dimitrov were excellent. When this event was last held, it was won by Rublev’s compatriot Daniil Medvedev and he also didn’t drop a set throughout the tournament and Rublev is playing well enough to emulate him. Expect the Russian to defeat Hurkacz in straight sets to capture his second Masters title of the season.
Prediction: Rublev in 2
Main photo credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
