ATP Masters in Shanghai, 3rd round, Tuesday, 08.10.2024, 2:00 pm
These two again in the 3rd round! Alexander Zverev has big plans for the Shanghai Masters, an early exit is not on the cards. Will he be able to win his second match?
We’ll find out on Tuesday, but he certainly knows that his opponent won’t be easy to beat. That’s why I’ll tell you now in my Griekspoor Zverev betting tip why I’m betting on a tiebreak here.
Is Alexander Zverev returning to the Shanghai final? It’s been five years since the Hamburg-born player fought for the title (and lost to Daniil Medvedev), and for many years the tournament was not held due to Corona.
In 2023, Zverev, like many others, returned to Shanghai, but he was certainly not successful here in the very early match against Roman Safiullin. A defeat at the start is not something he will do again.
His first opponent, Mattia Belucci, didn’t stand a chance as the favorite won 6-4, 6-2. He only gave his opponent one break point, and the 2021 Olympic champion defended it.
A solid performance was enough for him. The 86% won points on first serve were instrumental in the victory, but Zverev can actually be quite satisfied with 70% successful first serves.
In recent weeks, the 27-year-old has gone through a variety of phases. He is actually in a good mood, but when it comes to the crunch, he makes too many mistakes.
At the US Open, Zverev lost to Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals, and he also lost to him at the Laver Cup. On the other hand, he achieved a hard-fought victory in three sets against Frances Tiafoe.
He is probably not at 100% in Shanghai, which he prefers to explain himself. “I was on antibiotics for a week, so I didn’t train. I didn’t really do anything. I feel like I might get tired a little faster, but that will be with me for a while.”
A lung infection had sidelined him, but that shouldn’t stop him from successfully completing the Masters. Zverev has already faced Tallon Griekspoor in both Indian Wells and the French Open in 2024.
In Paris, it took him the full five sets, but he had previously prevailed 7-6, 6-3. There has been a tiebreak in all three matches, which the German has all won. But can the bookmakers imagine that happening again this time?
In any case, the odds see Zverev with an average of 1.16 to 5.20 for Zverev, which is relatively clear. Tallon Griekspoor, of course, knows how to pose a threat to even a top player.
The Dutchman has already played two matches in Shanghai, and the first almost didn’t last. He won against Facundo Diaz Acosta 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, winning a game on absolutely equal terms.
He was already in much better form against Jordan Thompson in round 2, winning 6-3, 6-2. He didn’t let his opponent break once, which is why the match was over so quickly.
Since Hertogenbosch, the tournament that took place four months ago, Griekspoor has not managed to win three matches in a row. Back then, those three victories involved four tiebreaks, which fits perfectly with my betting tip.
My Griekspoor Zverev betting tip
How fit is Alexander Zverev after his pneumonia? The first round was quite solid, but he didn’t have to push himself to his athletic limits. Tallon Griekspoor is a completely different proposition, as he showed at the French Open.
Zverev needed all five sets here, and tiebreaks are not uncommon in this duel. The bottom line is that I can’t imagine a single game. So my tip is:
There will be at least one tiebreak!
