Second round action continues in the two-week ATP Shanghai Masters. Stefanos Tsitsipas will play for the first time since the Laver Cup after recovering from a back injury. Who will reach the next round?
ATP Shanghai Day 4 Predictions
Brandon Nakashima vs Kamil Majchrzak
Head-to-head: Nakashima 2-0 Majchrzak
Nakashima is having a solid Asian swing with a semifinal run at the Chengdu Open, quickly followed by a quarterfinal in Tokyo, losing to the eventual champion each time. While he hasn’t quite made the leap that many predicted at the start of the season (still within reach of rejoining the Top 30), he remains a clean hitter with a measured ground game. Very few players have won as many matches as Majchrak since the start of August (10-2 at all levels), so the Pole won’t be intimidated by his next challenge. Nakashima might need to dig deeper for a hard-fought victory.
Prediction: Nakashima in 3
Arthur Rinderknech vs Alex Michelsen
Head-to-head: Rinderknech 2-0 Michelsen
Rinderknech advanced to the second round after Hamad Medjedovic was forced to retire. The Frenchman was trailing by a set but secured an early break at the start of the second set before the Serbian withdrew due to injury. Michelsen is currently on his worst run of form this season–he’s lost four matches in a row. Although he is seeded in Shanghai, Michelsen will enter this match with very few hours of competitive tennis in the past one-and-a-half months.
Prediction: Rinderknech in 3
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Nuno Borges
Head-to-head: Tsitsipas 2-0 Borges
Tsitsipas denied reports that he had undergone surgery after a persistent lower back injury in recent months. It’s been a chaotic season for the Greek, who exited the world’s Top 20 and was forced into a coaching change for the umpteenth time. He has played well before in Shanghai, reaching the semifinals in 2019 after beating Novak Djokovic. Tsitsipas’ talent and track record from the past are not enough for him to win matches right now, but his upside is still significantly higher than that of Borges, whom he has beaten twice in the head-to-head.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
