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Fixture: (2) Alexander Bublik vs (6) Alexander Shevchenko
Date: February 2, 2024
Tournament: Open Sud de France 2024
Round: Quarterfinal
Venue: Sud de France Arena, Montpellier
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Hardcourt
Prize Money: €579,320
Live telecast: United Kingdom and Ireland - Sky Sports | Worldwide: Tennis TV
Alexander Bublik vs Alexander Shevchenko preview
Second seed Alexander Bublik will lock horns with his namesake, sixth seed Alexander Shevchenko, for a place in the Montpellier semifinal.
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World No. 27 Bublik has returned to winning ways this week at the Open Sud de France following a disappointing straight-set defeat to Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal in the Australian Open first round last month.
Having opened his 2024 campaign with a run to the Brisbane semifinals (lost to Jack Draper), Bublik commenced his campaign in Montpellier with a hard-fought win over Denis Shapovalov.
The 26-year-old made a slow start, dropping the opening set for the loss of just one game. Bublik, though, fought his way back into the contest, winning a marathon second-set tiebreak 14-12 and saving three match points, before running away 6-3 in the decider.
He's now 4-2 on the season and 7-2 in Montpellier. After winning the title in 2022, Bublik lost in the first round to Gregoire Barrere in a third-set tiebreak last year.
Meanwhile, World No. 59 Shevchenko saw off Bublik's 2023 Montpellier conqueror, Barrere, in the second round in three sets to move into the last-eight. After edging the first set in a tiebreak, Shevchenko dropped the second, 6-2, before taking the decider 6-3.
Earlier this week, the 23-year-old beat Dalibor Svrcina on his Montpellier debut in three sets and is now 4-3 on the season. Shevchenko had started his season with second-round appearances in Brisbane and Adelaide before losing in the Melbourne first round.
Alexander Bublik vs Alexander Shevchenko head-to-head
The two players haven't met before on Tour, so their head-to-head record stands at 0-0.
Alexander Bublik vs Alexander Shevchenko odds
The odds will be updated when they release.
Alexander Bublik vs Alexander Shevchenko prediction
Both Bublik and Shevchenko like to dominate opponents from the back of the cour and have similar games. Both are strong servers, powerful hitters of the ball and move well for their height.
Bublik is the more attack-minded of the two but tends to struggle for consistency. Nevertheless, he will be buoyed by his fighting win over Shapovalov in his Montpellier opener.
The Kazakh was imperious on serve in the deciding set, not dropping a point as he sealed victory in nearly two and a half hours with a tenth ace. Back at the scene of his first ATP title, Bublik could be a tough nut to crack, but Shevchenko has recorded back-to-back wins for the first time in 2024.
Nevertheless, considering Bublik's past success at the tournament, expect him to eke out a hard-fought win.
Pick: Bublik in three sets
