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Match Details
Fixture: (7) Sebastian Ofner vs (WC) Denis Shapovalov
Tournament: ASB Classic 2024
Round: First round (Round of 32)
Venue: ASB Tennis Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $661,585
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Sebastian Ofner vs Denis Shapovalov preview
Seventh-seed Sebastian Ofner will take on Denis Shapovalov in the first round of the 2024 ASB Classic.
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Ofner kicked off the new season by participating in the Hong Kong Open. He got the better of Mackenzie McDonald easily in the first round as he handed him a 6-1, 6-2 defeat.
Ofner survived a close three-set thriller to send fifth seed Jan-Lennard Struff packing in the second round. He then ousted Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the semifinals, where he lost to Emil Ruusuvuori despite leading by a set.
Shapovalov had a tough time in 2023. He started quite well, with a quarterfinal appearance in Adelaide and a third-round showing at the Australian Open. He then didn't win consecutive matches until the French Open, where he was shown the door by Carlos Alcaraz.
It looked like things were falling into place for Shapovalov during the grass swing as he made it to the fourth round of Wimbledon. Unfortunately, he called a time on his season after that to recover from an injury. He now returns to action for the first time since then.
Sebastian Ofner vs Denis Shapovalov head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Sebastian Ofner vs Denis Shapovalov odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Sebastian Ofner vs Denis Shapovalov prediction
Ofner has made a strong start to the season and he'll be eager to keep the ball rolling. As for Shapovalov, this will be his first match in six months and he'll need some time to shake off the rust. But if he's off to a slow start, his opponent could run away with the match.
Shapovalov is a pretty good shotmaker with a capable serve but is too stubborn to change tactics at times. It proved to be his downfall last year, when he was losing matches due to his refusal to take a different approach.
But some time off could have altered his perspective. Ofner would've been no match for an in-form Shapovalov. However, under these circumstances, the former will certainly his fancy his chances against the Canadian.
Pick: Sebastian Ofner to win in three sets.
