A jam-packed slate of fourth-round action in Shanghai on Wednesday includes an all-seeded showdown between Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune. Grigor Dimitrov and Jakub Mensik are also aiming for a place in the quarterfinals.
(7) Taylor Fritz vs. (12) Holger Rune
Fritz and Rune will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they collide in round four of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Wednesday. They have split their two previous encounters; Fritz cruised 6-3, 6-4 at the 2022 Miami Open before Rune scored a 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-3 victory earlier this season in Indian Wells.
It is Fritz who is playing far better tennis down the stretch of this 2024 campaign. The U.S. Open runner-up is fifth in the Nitto ATP Finals race and can all but clinch a spot in Turin with a quarterfinal berth in Shanghai. He has advanced up to this point with straight-set defeats of Terence Atmane and Yosuke Watanuki. Rune is a modest 5-4 in his last nine matches after after dismissing Matteo Berrettini and Jiri Lehecka. Fritz is superior in pretty much every facet of the game at the moment and has more than enough firepower to frequently put Rune on defense.
Pick: Fritz in 2
Jakub Mensik vs. (9) Grigor Dimitrov
Mensik has been one of the tour’s breakout stars in 2024. The 19-year-old Czech has earned 22 of his 25 lifetime main-tour match wins this season, taking him to No. 65 in the rankings (and he is projected to reach at least No. 56 even if he loses his next match). Mensik has advanced so far in Shanghai with three-set victories over Pedro Martinez, Andrey Rublev, and Alexander Shevchenko.
Up next for Mensik on Wednesday is a second meeting with Dimitrov. Their only previous contest came this spring on the red clay of Madrid, where the teenager pulled off a 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-3 upset. Mensik was largely in control of that match the entire way–even on a surface that favors Dimitrov. The 33-year-old Bulgarian is also playing well and defeated Zizou Bergs and Alexei Popyrin earlier in the tournament. However, Mensik is the more reliable player from a physical standpoint right now and has a great chance to continue his hot streak.
Pick: Mensik in 3
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I think you’re giving Fritz too much credit. Rune is starting to look pretty good again. It looks more like a 50/50 game to me, but ok lets say he’s the favorit at the moment
Fritz in 3; Dtrov in 3