Third-round motion on the Rolex Shanghai Masters continues on Tuesday because the occasion tries to get again on schedule following all types of rain. Novak Djokovic and Grigor Dimitrov are amongst these taking the court docket.
Listed here are my picks for 2 of Tuesday’s finest matchups.
(28) Flavio Cobolli vs. (4) Novak DjokovicNot together with a lower-level Davis Cup tie, Djokovic is taking part in for the primary time since dropping to Alexei Popyrin in spherical three of the U.S. Open. How motivated is the 37-year-old Serb for the stretch run of the season? That continues to be to be seen. Regardless of the case, he usually performs effectively in Asia whatever the circumstances. Djokovic is the all-time chief in in Shanghai titles with 4 and his bid for No. 5 started with a two-tiebreaker win over Alex Michelsen on Friday.
Up subsequent for the Paris Olympics gold medalist is Cobolli, whom he has by no means confronted. The 22-year-old has been one of many ATP Tour’s breakout stars this season, incomes 34 of his 40 main-tour victories. Second-round competitors in Shanghai concluded on Monday night time with Cobolli’s 6-7(6), 7-6(4), 6-3 defeat of Stan Wawrinka. That was a bodily battle, which doesn’t bode effectively for the Italian’s already slim probabilities towards Djokovic.
Decide: Djokovic in 2
(20) Alexei Popyrin vs. (9) Grigor DimitrovPopyrin’s hard-court summer season not solely included an upset of Djokovic in New York but in addition a surprising Masters 1000 title in Montreal. The Australian remained in effective type with a 6-3, 6-2 rout of Miomir Kecmanovic on Saturday. He now runs into Dimitrov for the fourth time on Tuesday, with Popyrin main the head-to-head sequence 2-1 because of beating the Bulgarian en path to his Montreal triumph.
Dimitrov has been stellar this season as effectively, however he has performed a number of tennis and the veteran seems to be considerably hampered by a hamstring problem. The No. 9 managed to get previous Zizou Bergs 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 on Monday, however Popyrin presents an excellent more durable take a look at.
Decide: Popyrin in 3
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and likewise maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You may comply with him on Twitter at @Dimonator.
