Only four men remain in contention at the Chengdu Open after what has been an exciting week of tennis. The quarterfinals certainly proved interesting with both Grigor Dimitrov and Joao Sousa upset by young hopefuls. But who will book their place in the final?
Chengdu Open Semifinal Predictions
Alexander Bublik vs Lloyd Harris
Head-to-head: first meeting
Both young guns played some scintillating tennis in their respective quarterfinals to set up this highly unexpected semifinal clash. A total of 62 aces were hit by the pair in their quarterfinals, which demonstrates just how well both men can serve. The South African, Lloyd Harris has made the most out of the lucky loser spot awarded to him and is now within one match of reaching a maiden tour-level final. His opponent Alexander Bublik, meanwhile, is aiming to reach his second tour-level final after finishing as runner-up in Newport.
This looks like being an incredibly tough one to call. Harris has definitely punched above his weight by defeating players such as Monte Carlo finalist Dusan Lajovic and three-time tour-level titlist Joao Sousa, but Bublik has impressed even more. The Kazakh has taken out Taylor Fritz, Jordan Thompson and US Open semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov. Expect an entertaining clash with huge serving from both, but the Kazakh, after his superb display against Dimitrov, should prevail.
Prediction: Bublik in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Pablo Carreno Busta vs Denis Shapovalov
Head-to-head: Carreno Busta 1-1 Shapovalov
Denis Shapovalov is the highest-ranked player and only seed left in the draw, but his next assignment in the form of Pablo Carreno Busta will be a tough one. Shapovalov, who has had a rather inconsistent season but looks to have rediscovered his best form, is aiming to reach his first-ever tour-level final, whilst the Spaniard, a three-time champion on the ATP tour, seeks to do so for the first time since 2017.
They’ve split their two previous meetings, with Shapovalov winning their most recent in Rome earlier this year. This match is vital for both players to gather some much-needed momentum for the remaining part of this season. While the Canadian is perhaps the more natural hard-courter thanks to his more aggressive style, Carreno Busta is the more consistent and his 7-5 6-2 dismantling of Cristian Garin in the last eight highlights just how well he’s playing.
Prediction: Carreno Busta in 3
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
