Andy Murray will continue his comeback when he faces Fabio Fognini in a highly-anticipated second-round contest at the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday. First-round action is wrapping up with a showdown between David Goffin and Richard Gasquet.
(10) Fabio Fognini vs. (WC) Andy Murray
Fognini and Murray will be squaring off for the eighth time in their careers when they clash in round two of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Tuesday evening. Murray leads the head-to-head series 4-3 after winning three of their last four matches, although they have not faced each other since Wimbledon in 2017 (the Scot prevailed 7-5 in the fourth set just before his injury issues began to set in). Fognini has not defeated Murray on any surface other than clay since 2007 (Rogers Cup).
Murray’s comeback from February hip surgery has picked up steam with a quarterfinal performance in Beijing, where he lost to eventual champion Dominic Thiem after falling to eventual champion Alex de Minaur in the Zhuhai second round. The world No. 289 kicked off his Beijing campaign with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Juan Ignacio Londero on Monday, improving to 23-3 lifetime at an event he has won three times. Fognini took care of Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-2 to bolster his hopes for a debut appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals. The 12th-ranked Italian is in solid but unspectacular form, and he may have to come up with something special against an ever-improving opponent who generally thrives in Shanghai.
Pick: Murray in 3
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(13) David Goffin vs. Richard Gasquet
Goffin is almost 200 points clear of Fognini in the race to London and would be the first alternate if the year-end championship began today. The Belgian has is making a late push with a runner-up showing in Cincinnati, a fourth-round performance at the U.S. Open, and a semifinal finish last week in Tokyo.
Up first for Goffin on Tuesday in Shanghai is a fourth career contest against Gasquet, who trails the head-to-head series 2-1. They just collided during Goffin’s Cincinnati run, resulting in a 6-3, 6-4 semifinal decision. Goffin is 1-0 against the Frenchman on the Asian swing, having prevailed 7-5, 6-2 two years ago in Tokyo. Gasquet is a mere 1-4 in his last five matches dating back to Cincinnati, so Goffin should once again have a considerable advantage.
Pick: Goffin in 2
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WYG?
Murray! (I hope!) in 3.
Gasquet in 3
Great match. Fireworks and all. Someone had to tell Fig to shut up.
Someone had to tell Fog to shut up.
Vamos Murray!