Shanghai R2 previews and predictions: Djokovic vs. Shapovalov, Thiem vs. Carreno Busta

Coming off 500-point titles last weekend, Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem will begin their Shanghai campaigns on Wednesday. Djokovic is going up against Denis Shapovalov, while Thiem faces qualifier Pablo Carreno Busta.

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. Denis Shapovalov

Djokovic was a question mark for the fall swing after retiring from a U.S. Open fourth-round match against Stan Wawrinka due to a shoulder issue, but there are questions no more. The world No. 1 has always been especially forceful on the Asian swing and this season is shaping up to be no different. Djokovic bagged the Tokyo title without dropping a set and now takes his talents to the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he is 32-4 lifetime with four titles.

Up first for the top-seeded Serb on Wednesday is Shapovalov, who trails the head-to-head series 2-0. Djokovic prevailed 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 at this year’s Australian Open before cruising 6-1, 6-3 on the red clay of Rome. Shapovalov earned another shot in this matchup by taking care of Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-2 on Monday. The 36th-ranked Canadian has now advanced at least one round at seven consecutive tournaments. Despite his stellar form, there is no reason to think that Shapovalov will seriously trouble a heavily favored opponent who is quite clearly back to 100 percent.

Pick: Djokovic in 2 losing 5-7 games

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(Q) Pablo Carreno Busta vs. (4) Dominic Thiem

Thiem and Carreno Busta will be squaring off for the eighth time in their careers and for the sixth time at the ATP level when they meet again on Wednesday. The head-to-head series stands at 6-1 in favor of Thiem (5-0 on the main tour), but it is not quite as lopsided as the overall score suggests. Four of the Austrian’s victories have required final sets, one went to 7-5 in the fourth at the 2016 U.S. Open, and the other was a 7-5, 6-4 result in the 2017 Rio de Janeiro title match.

Another competitive one should be in the cards, as both men are in fine form. Thiem just captured a 500-point title in Beijing, where he defeated Andy Murray, Karen Khachanov, and Stefanos Tsitsipas starting in the quarterfinals. That triumph allowed the world No. 5 to mathematically clinch a return trip to the Nitto ATP Finals. Carreno Busta secured a recent title of his own, lifting the trophy in Chengdu. Following a first-round Beijing loss to David Goffin in which he had multiple match points, the 37th-ranked Spaniard qualified for the Shanghai main draw and then held off Chinese wild card Ze Zhang 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 on Sunday. With three matches already under his belt but also well-rested at the same time, this is a good opportunity for Carreno Busta to pull off an upset over an opponent who may experience a letdown.

Pick: Carreno Busta in 3

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