ATP Cincinnati quarterfinal predictions, including Alexander Zverev vs Ben Shelton

ATP Cincinnati quarterfinal predictions, including Alexander Zverev vs Ben Shelton

It’s down to the last eight at the ATP Cincinnati Open Masters 1000 tournament, with some of the most accomplished players in men’s tennis still battling for the coveted Masters title. Here’s a look at all the Super Saturday action from Ohio.

Jannik Sinner against Andrey Rublev

Steen Kirby: Rublev just beat Sinner in Canada in three sets. Before that, Sinner led 5-2 in the head-to-head match and had won three games in a row, so he will be looking to get revenge and keep his head-to-head lead. Rublev, the finalist in Canada, has not lost a set in any of his matches in Ohio. At 34-17 with two titles, he is aiming for a third to improve his 2024 ATP season. World number one Sinner benefited from a walkover win in the third round. At 46-7 on the season with four titles, Sinner will be a slight favorite in this matchup. He won in Miami earlier this season and will be looking to repeat that feat this week. It should be a tough battle. Sinner in 3

Damian Kust: At the start of 2023, this rivalry seemed to take a massive turn in Jannik Sinner’s favor, but Andrey Rublev literally hit back last week in Montreal. The Italian has been struggling with his hip though and after just one match in Cincinnati, we’re not sure where he stands now. The fast court is probably better suited to him than Rublev and when healthy, it remains true that the Russian tries to do the same on the court but is a tad worse in all areas. Sinner in 3

Alexander Zverev vs Ben Shelton

Steen: Home favorite Shelton had an easier time in his round of 16 match against Fabian Marozsan after some struggles in the early rounds. A semifinalist in Washington, Shelton will be looking to continue his excellent summer with another semifinal on home soil. Zverev hasn’t dropped a set in two matches and has reached consecutive quarterfinals at the Olympics and in Canada. Although Shelton is playing well, he has struggled against higher caliber players like Zverev, and the German should prevail in this match. Zverev in 2

Damian: It’s exciting that we’re seeing this matchup for the first time. Ben Shelton survived a thriller against Tomas Martin Etcheverry earlier in the week, but now that he’s here he’s usually a tough opponent for the big guys. The speed of the courts in Cincinnati should suit him, but how is he going to return Alexander Zverev’s serve? If he can’t make any progress himself, it could be difficult for him to pose a threat to someone who gets so many free points while remaining frustratingly consistent. Zverev in 2

Holger Rune vs Jack Draper

Steen: Rune has already recovered from a set down in two matches this week, narrowly defeating Gael Monfils in the round of 16. The Danish player is in his best form in a long time and is aiming to return to the top 10 of the ATP World Tour rankings. Draper has played three matches, all of which went over three sets, including two consecutive comebacks from a set down, with his victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime marred by a controversial double bounce call. The British player, who recently won Stuttgart, is at a career-high in the rankings, he is showing rapid improvements, and although Rune is more successful, Draper will make it difficult for him. Runes in 3

Damian: These two young talents have surprisingly never played each other before. The fast courts in Cincinnati should theoretically suit Jack Draper, but it didn’t really look like that when he struggled against Jaume Munar in the first round. The Brit has raised his level since then, however, and looked more dangerous against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Felix Auger-Aliassime. If he can serve well and apply some pressure from the ground with the rune forehand, he could perhaps score another three-set victory. Drapers in 3

Hubert Hurkacz vs Frances Tiafoe

Steen: Hubert Hurkacz is at a career-best ranking of 38-15 and currently fit and able, but he needed three consecutive sets to reach this quarterfinal, the same point where he was eliminated in Canada. In a late final, American Frances Tiafoe fought with the crowd to win in a third-set tiebreak against Jiri Lehecka. The two have met six times before and Tiafoe has tied head-to-head with Hurkacz 3-3. Tiafoe has not had a great season, but he is better on North American hard courts. He is a semifinalist in Washington and will be looking to match that result. Both players had long three-set matches in the previous round, but Hurkacz seems more reliable. Hurkacz in 3

Damian: Hubert Hurkacz returned to the court earlier than expected after his knee injury and is already playing exactly what is expected of him, with five three-set matches in a row and many tiebreaks. However, his level is quite high and his movements do not seem to be affected. In the past, there was a close rivalry and with Hurkacz’s game profile, we should expect nothing different. The Pole is the favorite as Tiafoe is out of shape this season, especially mentally. Hurkacz in 3

Main photo credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports

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