Halle 2023: Alexander Zverev vs Denis Shapovalov preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Terra Wortmann Open

Match Details

Fixture: (9) Alexander Zverev vs Denis Shapovalov

Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Tournament: Halle Open 2023

Round: Second Round (Round of 16)

Venue: Halle, Germany

Category: ATP 500

Surface: Grass

Prize money: €2,345,130

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video

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Alexander Zverev vs Denis Shapovalov preview

Zverev is up and running in Halle.

Ninth seed Alexander Zverev takes on the unseeded Denis Shapovalov as a place in the Halle quarterfinals beckons.

World No. 22 Zverev produced an emphatic performance in his first grasscourt match in two years, beating his good friend Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-4 in straight sets at the OWL Arena. The 26-year-old, coming off a semifinal run at Roland Garros, was clutch from the get-go against Thiem.

Zverev was dominant on serve and return - saving the only break point and winning an impressive 85% of his first-serve points - as a break in each set sufficed. The German is now 22-15 on the season and 13-6 at Halle.

The relieved German said after the win:

“I was moving well. I was not hitting the ball as well as I wanted to, but it’s very difficult, the first time on grass in two years.”

Meanwhile, the 27th-ranked Shapovalov brought up his first grasscourt win of the season by beating Lloyd Harris in straight sets in his opener. A week earlier, the Canadian left-hander had lost to Marton Fucsovics in his grasscourt season opener in Stuttgart.

Shapovalov took a tight first set against Harris in a tiebreak 7-6(1), and there would be no looking back from there. The Canadian took the next set to 6-4 to improve to 10-11 on the season as he marked his Halle debut with a win.

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Alexander Zverev vs Denis Shapovalov head-to-head

Zverev has won four of his seven meetings with Shapovalov but lost their last meeting in the Australian Open fourth round last year in straight sets. With the head-to-head 4-3 in favor of the German, the pair will clash on grass for the first time.

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Alexander Zverev vs Denis Shapovalov odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games (over/under)
Alexander Zverev	-250	-2.5 (-138)	Over 22.5 (-125)
Denis Shapovalov	+200	+2.5 (+100)	Under 22.5 (-110)

All odds as per BETMGM

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Alexander Zverev vs Denis Shapovalov prediction

Shapovalov is into the second round.

Both Zverev and Shapovalov are quintessential baseliners and have similar game styles - big serve, powerful hitting off either flank and good movement. Shapovalov stands out with his signature single-handed backhand, but Zverev is the steadier and more consistent of the two players.

In terms of grasscourt pedigree, Zverev is 29-16, with nearly half of those wins coming in Halle -- where he has made two finals. Meanwhile, Shapovalov is only 13-17 despite having made the Wimbledon semifinals in the past.

It's a tough matchup to call, but the more consistent Zverev is likely to take the win.

Pick: Zverev in three sets