Holger Rune and Matteo Berrettini clashed in Cincinnati two months ago, and now they are running into each other at ATP Shanghai. It’s a brutal draw for both, with the Italian representing a much higher level of play than his ranking suggests (if healthy). Who do you think will come out on top?
ATP Shanghai Day 4 Predictions
Karen Khachanov vs Marcos Giron
Head-to-head: First meeting
This hasn’t been an easy season for Karen Khachanov, but it seems like he might have gotten something going in Beijing with only Carlos Alcaraz stopping him in the quarterfinals (and that first set was rather hard-fought). It’s pretty tough to guess how his dynamic with Marcos Giron will work and it’s surprising that they haven’t faced each other yet. While both play a reasonably high-percentage style, it’s still Khachanov who should possess a much higher ceiling if he finally starts feeling confident about his game.
Prediction: Khachanov in 3
Alexei Popyrin vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Head-to-head: Kecmanovic 3-1
Miomir Kecmanovic used to like this matchup quite a lot, but they haven’t faced each other since 2021. These days it’s Alexei Popyrin who made a big splash recently and will be trying to maintain that Montreal/US Open momentum. That opening-round loss to Tomas Machac in Tokyo shouldn’t bother him too much given how well the Czech was playing the entire event. The form is enough to grant Popyrin the status of a favorite here, but he’ll have to resist the temptation of trying to blast through Kecmanovic with too big a focus on conservative patterns.
Prediction: Popyrin in 3
Taylor Fritz vs Terence Atmane
Head-to-head: First meeting
Terence Atmane is repeating his run from last year, when he also qualified and won his opening round in the main draw. Now the question becomes if he can beat a seed this time. Taylor Fritz’s loss to Arthur Fils in Tokyo looks much better in hindsight after the Frenchman won the title. The absolute peak version of Atmane’s game could trouble him with all the weaponry of the Frenchman potentially making him stretch for balls. But the more likely version is just the underdog keeping it relatively close with his serve and that’s it.
Prediction: Fritz in 2
Holger Rune vs Matteo Berrettini
Head-to-head: Rune 2-1
This was a blockbuster match at an early stage of the event in Cincinnati and things aren’t any different here. Matteo Berrettini was forced to retire in Tokyo last week, but it seems that things are fine for him health-wise now after defeating Christopher O’Connell. But this is a match of fine margins and maybe Holger Rune can turn fitness into some sort of an advantage (even if it’s rare it works out like that for the Dane)? After all, he still has all the tools required to keep progressing and just needs stabilization to sort things out.
Prediction: Rune in 3
Main Photo Credit: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun/USA TODAY NETWORK
