Shanghai R1 previews and predictions: Shapovalov vs. Basilashvili, Paire vs. Carreno Busta

First-round action in Shanghai is wrapping up on Tuesday with a showdown between Denis Shapovlov and Beijing champion Nikoloz Basilashvili. Pablo Carreno Busta and Benoit Paire are also on the schedule.

Denis Shapovalov vs. Nikoloz Basilashvili

Basilashvili will be getting right back on the court two days after winning the second 500-point title of his career (and second of the season) on Sunday in Beijing. The Georgian, who has surged to a career-high of No. 23 in the rankings, defeated four top-30 opponents last week–including an under-the-weather Juan Martin Del Potro in the title match. Basilashvili has earned 27 ATP-level match victories in 2018, with three of those coming en route to the second week of the U.S. Open.

Up first for Basilashvili at the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday is a second career contest against Shapovalov, who lost their only previous encounter 6-2, 6-4 on the red clay of Budapest. Shapovalov, however, has always been far more comfortable on hard courts and he is obviously more well-rested than his opponent. The 29th-ranked Canadian has advanced at least one round at nine consecutive tournaments, and that streak is likely to reach 10 in a row.

Pick: Shapovalov in 2

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(15) Pablo Carreno Busta vs. (Q) Benoit Paire

Carreno Busta and Paire will be squaring off for the eighth time in their careers when they meet again on Tuesday. Paire leads the head-to-head series 4-3, including 2-1 on hard courts. They most recently faced each other during Davis Cup semifinal action on the indoor hard courts of France, where Paire treated the home crowd to a 7-5, 6-1, 6-0 rout.

With a disappointing 1-3 record in his last three matches, Carreno Busta has played sparingly of late. In fact, this is the 24th-ranked Spaniard’s second consecutive match against Paire because he has not taken the court since the Davis Cup semis. Paire, on the other hand, reached the second round in both Metz and Tokyo plus he already has two Shanghai victories under his belt by beating Runhao Hua and Joao Sousa in qualifying. All signs point to what would only be an upset on paper for the world No. 62.

Pick: Paire in 2

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