Three quarter-final picks from Munich today, with rain threatening throughout and temperatures barely touching 63°F, which should keep the courts slow and the rallies long. We've got Zverev on home soil, a fascinating first meeting between Fonseca and Shelton, and Cobolli looking to book his spot in the semis. Let's get into it.
BMW Open Predictions
Alexander Zverev vs Francisco Cerundolo
Head-to-head: Zverev 4-3 Cerundolo
That head-to-head is closer than most people probably remember, and Cerundolo has genuinely troubled Zverev before, including on clay. But this is Munich, Zverev's home tournament, and the slow damp conditions are basically tailor-made for his game. He can sit back, grind through long rallies and let that massive forehand do damage when the opening comes.
Cerundolo is no pushover, but hard to see this being competitive at all given how sharp Zverev has looked this week and with the crowd firmly behind him. I think this goes three sets but Zverev gets there.
Prediction: Zverev in 3
Joao Fonseca vs Ben Shelton
Head-to-head: First meeting
Fonseca is genuinely exciting and his clay game has developed fast for a 18-year-old, but clay is Shelton's worst surface by some distance and he's come into Munich without much momentum after a rough stretch of results. That said, Fonseca hasn't faced anyone close to Shelton's serve and raw power yet this week, and that first-strike tennis can be disruptive even on slow clay.
Still, Shelton should have enough on this surface, all things considered. It'll be tight, and Fonseca will make him earn it, but Shelton in three feels right.
Prediction: Shelton in 3
Flavio Cobolli vs Vit Kopriva
Head-to-head: Cobolli 2-1 Kopriva
Kopriva has had a decent run to get here but Cobolli is the better player on this surface and is coming in with real confidence after some strong results on clay this season. The cool, damp conditions in Munich tend to reward the more consistent baseliner, and that's Cobolli every day of the week.
Kopriva will have his moments and that 2-1 head-to-head, which includes a win on clay in Cordoba last year, shows he can take a set off Cobolli. Expect three sets, but Cobolli advances.
Prediction: Cobolli in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
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