The peak of the ATP Asian Swing continues Friday in Shanghai, as top players look to regain or build confidence going into the end of the 2023 tennis season. Among stars featuring in the second round, players like Hubert Hurkacz and Felix Auger Aliassime look to improve their form and return to the top of the men’s tennis. Who will reach the third round?
ATP Shanghai Day 3 Predictions
Yannik Hanfmann vs Christopher Eubanks
Head-to-head: First meeting
This is a new autumn for Christopher Eubanks, as the American has traditionally played Challenger tournaments on home soil, looking to gain coveted spots into Grand Slams. Now firmly a Top 30 player, this will be his first time playing the Masters 1000 tournaments in Shanghai and Paris. Yet, he hasn’t been in great form since his incredible Wimbledon ride, going 2-4 since his quarterfinal appearance in Atlanta, however this proves to be an exciting moment for Eubanks. On the other hand, Hanfmann qualified for the main draw in Beijing, flying under the radar and playing his top tennis against Carlos Alcaraz in the first round. This match should feature lots of big serves, aces and perhaps some tiebreakers. While Eubanks is the favorite based on ranking, Hanfmann does have the benefit of playing matches in Asia over the past few weeks, and I just feel he’ll barely claim the mild upset.
Prediction: Hanfmann in 3
Tomas Etcheverry vs Zhang Zhizhen
Head-to-head: First meeting
With both players having the best season of their careers, expect a classic contrasting-style matchup of players exuding lots of confidence. Etcheverry pushed Casper Ruud to the limits in Beijing, falling narrowly in a third set tiebreak. Meanwhile, Zhang Zhizhen stunned Ruud at the US Open, taking a short break from tennis, before returning to home soil with a destructive 6-1 6-2 win over Richard Gasquet. Not only will having the home crowd behind Zhang benefit him, but his powerful forehand works very well on the fast Shanghai courts. Etcheverry will make this tough with his eye-opening counterpunching, but look for Zhang to battle through into the third round.
Prediction: Zhang in 2
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Hubert Hurkacz vs Thanasi Kokkinakis
Head-to-head: Hurkacz 2-0
It wouldn’t be too surprising to see this match end in a third-set tiebreak, as both their two meetings ended as such in Miami and Cincinnati this year. Both meetings went the way of Hurkacz, with the Pole’s serve and mental edge helping him out in significant moments. The match resulted in a brutally honest tweet from Kokkinakis, as the Aussie will absolutely be determined for revenge in this match. The fast courts of Shanghai should make it tough for either player to break serve, particularly as both players struggle to return in the first place. This matchup could go anywhere, but Hurkacz again seems to just have the consistency and experience on the big stage. While Kokkinakis did cruise past Fabio Foginini in the first round of Shanghai, it may prove to be a tough mental barrier to get past this kind of match.
Prediction: Hurkacz in 3
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Márton Fucsovics
Head-to-head: Auger Aliassime 2-1
While this will be the fourth meeting between the pair, they haven’t met since the summer of 2021. A lot has changed since then; Auger-Aliassime exhibited some of his best tennis late in 2021 early into 2022, with Fuscovics continuing to remain a mainstay in the Top 60 of the rankings. Pressure and unfortunate injuries have certainly dented the Canadian’s confidence as of late, but he did play some solid tennis at the Laver Cup, potentially regaining a bit of motivation being around a team. The Canadian will have to forget some of his past disappointments, as he’ll have to defend numerous ranking points in the coming weeks. This could be a great stepping stone for Auger-Aliassime with a win, but he’ll have to stay strong mentally to have a shot.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
