Cincinnati SF preview and prediction: Djokovic vs. Zverev

Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev will be squaring off for the 12th time in their careers when they meet again in the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open on Saturday night.

Djokovic leads the head-to-head series by a relatively competitive 7-4 margin, while Zverev has won two of their last three encounters (all in 2021). The German prevailed 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the semis of the Tokyo Olympics, lost 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the semis of the U.S. Open, and pulled off a 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3 upset at the Nitto ATP Finals–also in the semis.

These two friendly rivals did not face each other a single time in 2022, mainly because Zverev sustained an ankle injury at the French Open that knocked him out for the remainder of the season. The world No. 17 is back with a vengeance this year, with a 38-19 record that includes a recent title in Hamburg and a semifinal run at Roland Garros. So far in Cincinnati he has ousted Grigor Dimitrov, Yoshihito Nishioka, Daniil Medvedev, and Adrian Mannarino–surrendering just one set to Medvedev in the process.

Playing his first hard-court tournament since February and his first tournament of any kind since Wimbledon, Djokovic really hasn’t been forced to do much this week. The second-ranked Serb got a retirement from Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in round two and then made quick work of opponents who basically didn’t show up–Gael Monfils and Taylor Fritz. Djokovic has been solid, but he hasn’t been tested.

Zverev will almost certainly change that in a big way. The 26-year-old has enjoyed plenty of success in this matchup in the past, plus he is a former champion of the Cincinnati Masters (2021). With Djokovic more concerned with the upcoming U.S. Open, too, an upset would hardly be surprising.

Pick: Zverev in 3

[yop_poll id=”500″]