Taylor Fritz gets a test by Fire in Basel with his first round match against Shanghai Masters Champion Valentin Vaperot on Wednesday. Sebastian Korda will be in action against UGE Humbert.
(1) Taylor Fritz vs. (wc) Valentin Vaperot
It is unusual for the 1 seed Top American Taylor Fritz to take the player entering the Shanghai masters as another way to qualify. Valentin Vaperherot Won nine To match, it includes a small winning streak for seeded players – reaching the end of his first cousin, Arthur Rindennech. He won that one, too. VacurTot has now posted a 12-2 ATP-level record on the season. It’s no exaggeration to call it one of the best Cinderella stories of all time.
That being said, it’s almost impossible to gauge if his people outside of superpowers will extend beyond the Magnalia stage in Shanghai. Before two weeks ago, the Monaco man had a season of limited success in the challenging province. Now you own Title 1000. That you run to Fritz the luck of the vacurtot. Fritz is the world No. 4 and one of the most consistent players in men’s travel. Surprisingly, this is the first meeting between the two men. And as tempting as it is to choose Cinderella because the story is so good, I don’t see lightning striking twice.
Cheryl Plaw: Fritz in 3
Ricky Pick: Fritz on 2
Sebastian Korda vs. Ugo Humbert
This will be the second meeting between Sebastian Korda and Ugo Humbert, but the last time they played back in 2021 and neither player is the same today as he was four years ago. In fact, Korda is not the same player he was last year due to an unknown series of injuries and even some illnesses. America’s ranking rose to 56th in the world from 15th place a year ago. The good news for Korda is that he enters Basel on new legs. His health woes mean he’s never tired from where he can be. He is a solid indoor player with a game that translates well historically.
Humbert arrives in Basel following a run to the final in Stockholm a few days ago. The Frenchman owns four interior jobs, as Korda – who plays inside the interior matches. But he’s also played a lot of tennis lately and fatigue might be a factor against such a strong top opponent. This game represents a great opportunity for Korda to pocket some much-needed points.
Cheryl Plaw: Korda at 3
Ricky Pick: Korda in 3
