Cincinnati 2022: Grigor Dimitrov vs Denis Shapovalov preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Western & Southern Open
Match Details
Fixture: (16) Grigor Dimitrov vs Denis Shapovalov
Date: August 15, 2022
Tournament: Cincinnati Open 2022
Round: First round (Round of 64)
Venue: Cincinnati, United States
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $970,020
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime Video | Australian – beIN Sports
Grigor Dimitrov vs Denis Shapovalov preview
World No. 19 Grigor Dimitrov will square off against World No. 22 Denis Shapovalov in the first round at the Cincinnati Masters on Monday.
Both players, previously ranked inside the top-10, have struggled with their form this year.
Dimitrov has managed to win 20 matches in the 34 he has played this season. He began 2022 by reaching the semifinals of the Melbourne Summer Set, but lost to Maxime Cressy 7-5, 7-6(9) in a hard-fought battle.
The former World No. 3 also made the semifinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters where he was seen off by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-3.
Additionally, the Bulgarian reached the quarterfinals of the Delray Beach Open and Indian Wells Masters.
Shapovalov started his year on a high note by leading his home country of Canada to victory at the ATP Cup.
The 23-year-old then reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open by defeating Alexander Zverev in straight sets. In the last eight, he almost knocked out eventual champion Rafael Nadal, pushing him to five sets.
From there on, things haven’t gone as planned for the Canadian. To his credit, he reached the semifinals of the Dubai Open, the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open and the Italian Open where he defeated Rafael Nadal to reach the final eight. Barring that, Shapovalov has not made it past the second round at any other tournament and has faced numerous first-round defeats.
Grigor Dimitrov vs Denis Shapovalov head-to-head
Grigor Dimitrov leads 2-1 against Denis Shapovalov in their head-to-head. The Bulgarian was the victor at the 2016 Canadian Open and the 2020 Rotterdam Open. The Canadian won their last encounter at the 2020 Italian Open.
Grigor Dimitrov vs Denis Shapovalov odds
Betting odds will be updated soon
Grigor Dimitrov vs Denis Shapovalov prediction
Shapovalov and Dimitrov will be coming to Cincinnati off of their losses to Alex de Minaur in the first and second rounds in Montreal, respectively. Dimitrov, however, will enter the contest as the favorite. The 31-year-old has been the Cincinnati Masters champion in 2016.
The Bulgarian possesses a fluid game but is mainly defensive. He plays a one-handed backhand. Unlike other players, he is known to use his backhand slice as an attacking strategy and earn points. His athletic style of play makes him an excellent mover on the court.
The Canadian, meanwhile, is very aggressive with his game. He is a left-handed player with a one-handed backhand and can thus cause trouble for his opponents. Shapovalov counts on his powerful forehand and destructive serve to win matches. He is flexible and can use it to his benefit.
That said, Shapovalov has been out of form in recent times and has been piling up on unforced errors due to his high-risk game. Dimitrov will be more composed of the two and should be able to advance to the second round.
Pick: Grigor Dimitrov to win in three sets.
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