Tennis acca tips: Ben Shelton to prevail in battle of American young guns

Ben Shelton will take Sebastian Korda at the Shanghai Masters in an all-American quarter-final.

 

Fabian Marozsan and Hubert Hurkacz are scheduled to clash in Thursday's other quarter-final.

 

Here, we make picks for the two Shanghai Masters quarter-finals, and half a dozen WTA Tour matches from Hong Kong, Seoul and Zhengzhou. 

 

ATP Shanghai: Fabian Marozsan vs Hubert Hurkacz | Pick: Hurkacz

ATP Shanghai: Ben Shelton vs Sebastian Korda | Pick: Shelton

WTA Hong Kong: Alina Korneeva vs Linda Fruhvirtova | Pick: Fruhvirtova

WTA Hong Kong: Leylah Fernandez vs Mirra Andreeva | Pick: Fernandez

WTA Seoul: Eva Lys vs Marie Bouzkova | Pick: Bouzkova

WTA Seoul: Jessica Pegula vs Ashlyn Krueger | Pick: Pegula

WTA Zhengzhou: Ons Jabeur vs Lucia Bronzetti | Pick: Jabeur

WTA Zhengzhou: Barbora Krejcikova vs Petra Martic | Pick: Krejcikova 

 

ATP Shanghai: Fabian Marozsan vs Hubert Hurkacz

 

Hubert Hurkacz has the edge in all the departments that Fabian Marozsan is proficient in, and with both men possessing big serves, the world No 17's returning ability should win the day.

 

What gives pause in picking Hurkacz is that Marozsan has racked up some impressive wins in Shanghai, including a top-ten win over Casper Ruud in the Round of 16.

 

Neither man has lost a tiebreak in Shanghai, with Hurkacz winning a pair of them in his fourth-round triumph over home favourite Zhang Zhizhen.

 

Hurkacz has won a Masters title in the past and is cool under pressure, and should come out on top.

 

ATP Shanghai: Ben Shelton vs Sebastian Korda

 

Another huge quarter-final with its own built-in narrative as Sebastian Korda faces the man who appears to have usurped his position as the USA's brightest young star.

 

Shelton won an absolute cracker of a last 16 clash against Jannik Sinner but will need to be prepared to start from scratch against his countryman.

 

The slower balls in use in Shanghai will negate the physical advantages of the lanky Korda.

 

Shelton must guard against an overly defensive game against a powerful player with his key to victory, making Korda move.

 

WTA Hong Kong: Alina Korneeva vs Linda Fruhvirtova

 

Czech 18-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova takes on a fellow teenager, Alina Korneeva, in Hong Kong.

 

Korneeva made her WTA Tour main draw debut in Hong Kong, fighting through qualifying before a first round win.

 

While Korneeva is a former junior world No 1, a matchup with Linda Fruhvirtova is one she is unlikely to win.

 

Fruhvirtova showed grit in coming from behind to beat Peyton Stearns in her Hong Kong opener.

 

WTA Hong Kong: Leylah Fernandez vs Mirra Andreeva

 

Leylah Fernandez is also matched against a promising Russian teenager already making waves on the WTA Tour in Mirra Andreeva.

 

Fernandez has threatened to reclaim the kind of form that guided her to the 2021 US Open final.

 

Andreeva dealt with Dayana Yastremska in convincing fashion, while Fernadez saw former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka retire before they could play the decisive set of their first-round clash.

 

Fernandez lost to Andreeva in the first Round at Madrid earlier this season on clay, but the Canadian should come through on Hong Kong's hard courts. 

 

WTA Seoul: Eva Lys vs Marie Bouzkova

 

Eva Lys stands between Marie Bouzkova and a quarter-final in Seoul in the first meeting of their careers.

 

Bouzkova blew through her first-round match and should also have too much firepower for Eva Lys.

 

Lys was too good for Anna Schmiedlova in her opening match and came through in straight sets.

 

However, Lys is unlikely to find an answer to the quality of a top 30 player in Bouzkova.

 

WTA Seoul: Jessica Pegula vs Ashlyn Krueger

 

Jessica Pegula must get beyond Ashlyn Krueger to gain the Korea Open last eight.

 

Krueger won her first title in Osaka just a few weeks back and now has a top-ten win in her sights.

 

Pegula has endured a few disappointing losses in recent weeks after a big WTA 1000 breakthrough.

 

Pegula has clinched her place at the season finale but would love to put together a deep run in Seoul.

 

WTA Zhengzhou: Ons Jabeur vs Lucia Bronzetti

 

Ons Jabeur has just done enough to stay ahead of a hard-charging Maria Sakkari and claim the final place in the WTA Finals and has also been in good form recently after a delayed return to action after the US Open.

 

Jabeur and Bronzetti have met just once before, with that clash at the French Open earlier this season being won by Jabeur.

 

Bronzetti will be out to glean some advantage from having been on court in the previous Round while Jabeur had a bye.

 

If Jabeur finds her feet, she should win this one in straight sets.

 

WTA Zhengzhou: Barbora Krejcikova vs Petra Martic

 

Former world No 2 Barbora Krejcikova has a tough first match against Petra Martic in Zhengzhou.

 

Martic beat Krejcikova in the first meeting of their careers in Madrid earlier this season.

 

Krejcikova is playing her first match since a shock loss to Mirra Andreeva ended her run in Beijing.

 

Martic beat Magda Linette in the first Round in straightforward fashion but could fall just short against the Czech.