Gstaad 2021: Denis Shapovalov vs Vit Kopriva preview, head-to-head & prediction | Swiss Open

Match details

Fixture: (1) Denis Shapovalov vs (Q) Vit Korpiva

Date: 21 July 2021

Tournament: Swiss Open Gstaad 2021

Round: Second round (Round of 16)

Venue: Gstaad, Switzerland

Category: ATP 250

Surface: Clay

Prize money: €481,270

Live telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel

Denis Shapovalov vs Vit Kopriva preview

Denis Shapovalov would be hoping to continue his rich vein of form when he takes the court at this week's Swiss Open in Gstaad.

Shapovalov is currently at career-high ranking of World No. 10, and he comes into Gstaad on the back of a 22-14 win-loss record in 2021. The Canadian's season got off to a rough start but he peaked during the clay and grass swings, culminating in a maiden Slam semifinal appearance at Wimbledon.

Shapovalov defeated Andy Murray, Roberto Bautista Agut and Karen Khachanov on his way to the semifinals in London. The 22-year-old then gave eventual champion Novak Djokovic a tough fight before losing 7-6(3), 7-5, 7-5.

Denis Shapovalov at Roland Garros 2021

Denis Shapovalov will take on the relatively unheralded Vit Kopriva in the second round at Gstaad. Kopriva has had a decent run on the Challenger circuit lately; he reached the quarterfinals in Prague and the semifinals in Braunschweig earlier this month.

The Czech comes into the second round at Gstaad with a few solid wins under his belt already. Kopriva defeated Maximilian Marterer and Enzo Couacaud in qualifying, before breezing past Johan Nikles 6-1, 6-2 in the first round.

Denis Shapovalov vs Vit Kopriva head-to-head

The second round encounter is the first ever match between Denis Shapovalov and Vit Kopriva, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.

Denis Shapovalov vs Vit Kopriva prediction

Denis Shapovalov is the top seed at Gstaad, and he comes into the second round match as the overwhelming favorite.

The Canadian's power-packed game is known to be particularly suited to faster surfaces. But his recent performances on clay - including a close three-set loss to Rafael Nadal at Rome and a runner-up finish in Geneva - have shown that he can hold his own in the longer exhanges too.

Shapovalov still relies on power to hit through his opponents on dirt, but his newfound accuracy and patience have helped him beat the consistent counterpunchers too.

Vit Kopriva would be fancying his chances on Wednesday though, given the unpredictable nature of Shapovalov's game. If Kopriva is able to elongate the rallies, he might be able to take advantage of any lapses from the 22-year-old.

However, considering Shapovalov's form at the moment, an upset looks unlikely.

Prediction: Denis Shapovalov to win in straight sets.