We've got a few quarter-final picks from Munich today, with temperatures sitting around 10°C under thick overcast skies. All three favorites are expected to come through, but clay has a way of making things uncomfortable, so let's see who actually delivers.
BMW Open Munich Predictions
Joao Fonseca vs Ben Shelton
Head-to-head: First meeting
Shelton is the higher-ranked player here, but clay is genuinely his worst surface and he showed that clearly with a limp run through the North American swing recently. Fonseca is only 18 and already ranked 40th in the world and the Brazilian plays with a fearlessness that can hurt big servers who aren't comfortable grinding. This has upset written all over it.
That said, Shelton's serve is a weapon even on slow clay, and Fonseca is navigating the later rounds of an ATP 500 for the first time. The moment could get big. I think Shelton finds enough on his first serve to survive in three, even if it's messy.
Prediction: Shelton in 3
Botic Van De Zandschulp vs Francisco Cerundolo
Head-to-head: Zandschulp 0-2 Cerundolo
Cerundolo leads their head-to-head 2-0 and both of those wins came on clay, so there's a clear pattern here. Van De Zandschulp has been playing decent tennis this week, but Cerundolo is the more complete clay-court player and the cool, heavy conditions in Munich today should slow the ball down enough to let him dictate from the baseline the way he likes to. Cerundolo wins this in three.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 3
Flavio Cobolli vs Vit Kopriva
Head-to-head: Cobolli 2-1 Kopriva
Kopriva has been a nice story this week but hard to see this being competitive at all. The Italian has become so good at staying patient in long clay-court rallies without panicking, and Kopriva, who sits at 75 in the world, hasn't really been tested by that level of consistency yet. Feel like Cobolli handles this without too many scares, all things considered.
Prediction: Cobolli in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Debby Wong/ZUMA Press Wire