Qualifying gets underway in Shanghai and we've got three picks from the first round to kick things off. None of these are straightforward, which is exactly what you'd expect when ranked players meet opponents who have nothing to lose.
Shanghai Masters Predictions
Roman Safiullin vs Alexis Galarneau
Head-to-head: First meeting
Safiullin is the clear favorite here and the ranking gap tells most of the story. He's a solid hardcourt player and Galarneau, ranked 180th, hasn't shown much to suggest he can compete with someone of this level on this surface. That said, qualifying matches have a way of being uncomfortable, and Safiullin hasn't had the most consistent year.
I think Safiullin gets through, but probably not without dropping a set along the way.
Prediction: Safiullin in 3
Martin Damm vs Pavel Kotov
Head-to-head: First meeting
Kotov is ranked 182nd right now, which is a significant drop from where he was sitting earlier in the season, and Damm at 103rd has been the more consistent performer lately. Kotov plays an aggressive game that can look great for a set and then completely unravel, and on a fast hardcourt in Shanghai that inconsistency tends to get punished.
Damm wins this, probably in three.
Prediction: Damm in 3
Taro Daniel vs Shintaro Mochizuki
Head-to-head: First meeting
This one is the most interesting of the three because Mochizuki is actually the higher-ranked player at 120th, making Daniel the technical underdog here. But Daniel is a seasoned tour veteran who has spent years grinding out results on hardcourts in Asia and that experience in this region matters more than the ranking gap suggests. Mochizuki is still developing at this level and a big qualifier crowd match might not suit him. That said, the ranking difference is real and shouldn't be completely ignored.
Feel like Daniel's comfort in these conditions gets him over the line, all things considered.
Prediction: Daniel in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © SIPA USA