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Match Details
Fixture: (12) Ben Shelton vs Zhang Zhizhen
Date: May 12, 2024
Tournament: Italian Open 2024
Round: Third Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Clay
Prize money: £7,877,020
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN+
Ben Shelton vs Zhang Zhizhen preview
12th seed Ben Shelton will square off against Zhang Zhizhen in the third round of the 2024 Italian Open on Sunday, May 12.
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Shelton received a bye into the second round, where he faced Pavel Kotov. The American matched his opponent shot for shot for most of the first set but faltered towards the end, losing three games on the trot, and with it, the set.
Shelton turned things around in the second set and claimed it by going on a three-game run himself. Neither player budged for the better part of the decider, though in the end, it was the American who had the last laugh. He once again swept the last three games to notch up a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback win.
Zhang beat Daniel Elahi Galan 6-2, 7-5 in his opener to reach the second round, where 19th seed Adrian Mannarino awaited him. The Chinese breezed through the first set as he clinched it for the loss of just one game.
Mannarino tried his best but was no match for Zhang in the second set either. The latter reeled off four games on the run from 3-2 onwards to score a comfortable 6-1, 6-3 win.
Ben Shelton vs Zhang Zhizhen head-to-head
Shelton leads Zhang 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2023 Australian Open in five sets.
Ben Shelton vs Zhang Zhizhen odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Ben Shelton vs Zhang Zhizhen prediction
Things got a little heated between Shelton and Kotov during the final set as the the tension between the two was quite palpable. The American held his nerve to eke out a win, his first at the venue.
Zhang has won two matches in a row for the first time in over three months. He played a pretty great match against Mannarino. The Chinese faced a lone break point, which he erased with ease. He also won 80 percent of points on the back of his first serve.
Zhang and Shelton have crossed paths once before and fought until the bitter end, with the latter sneaking past in five sets at the 2023 Australian Open. The American's superior form this season makes him a safe bet to win this encounter.
Furthermore, Zhang has lost all six of his matches against top-20 players this season. While he's capable of playing some great tennis, his current form makes him an underdog in this match-up. Shelton is vulnerable on clay, so even though he's the favorite, any slip-up on his part could result in his exit.
Pick: Ben Shelton to win in three sets.
