Just like in the WTA Finals, we are approaching the climax of the 2019 Paris Masters as the table has been set for the upcoming semi finals.
The Final Four will feature a mix of some familiar and fresh faces in matches that will surely provide us some Paris Masters 2019 highlights to look out for.
Representing the Big 3 will be Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, and they will be put to the test against their younger counterparts in Grigor Dimitrov and Denis Shapovalov respectively.
This tournament produced a lot of shocking results after a couple of rounds as young standouts in Daniil Medvedev and Karen Khachanov were eliminated in the second round.
On the other hand, Roger Federer announced his abrupt withdrawal to the tournament due to load management, with the ATP Finals in London just around the corner.
With the way the tournament is shaping up, this figures to be an exciting, yet an unpredictable one as all contenders have made a good case on why they could win it all.
Today, SBOBET gives you a preview of the upcoming ATP Paris Masters semifinals.
Rafael Nadal continues his pursuit for No. 1
Rafael Nadal’s Paris Masters 2019 odds have gotten better when Roger Federer, Daniil Medvedev, and Karen Khachanov have all exited in the tournament, and this is the perfect chance for him to end the year atop of the ATP Rankings.
The Spaniard, however, will have to get by a highly-motivated upstart in Denis Shapovalov, who has been making a lot of waves in the past few weeks. He had won his first ATP title in Stockholm, made it to the semis in Winston-Salem and Chengdu, plus, he could get his third Top 10 victory of the year just two days after defeating Alexander Zverev.
“I feel like with that title in Stockholm, it kind of gave me a sense of calmness, relief. And I’ve just been able to enjoy the last couple weeks of the season. Because of that, I feel like I’ve been able to play really well,” said Shapovalov.
The 20-year-old wunderkind is fresh off eliminating Gael Monfils from the Nitto ATP Finals contention in what was a dominant straight-sets victory. Shapovalov also holds a 1-1 head-to-head record against Nadal.
He was able to shock Nadal back in the Coupe Rogers two years ago when he just turned 18. The youngster made a roaring comeback after dropping the first set en route to a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory – which includes a fight back after being down 0-3 in the third set.
“It’s what I dreamed of all my life growing up, playing guys like Rafa (Nadal), Roger (Federer), Andy (Murray). You know, my dream came true today,” said Shapovalov back then.
Nadal would then draw level with him last year in Rome, which brings us to this exciting match ahead.
He is currently two wins away from clinching the top spot in the ATP Rankings. However, if Novak Djokovic loses against Grigor Dimitrov, he may only have to win over Shapovalov to accomplish his mission.
Novak Djokovic looking to stamp his class against Grigor Dimitrov
Novak Djokovic is set to lock horns against Grigor Dimitrov for their 10th time ever. The Serb currently holds an 8-1 lead in their head-to-heads. But even with his current record against him, Nadal is well aware of his opponent’s capabilities on the court.
“He’s been playing some terrific tennis this week. I saw him play the past couple of days. He seems to really like the conditions here,” said Nadal.
“I don’t play too bad myself, so it’s going to be for sure a good one,” he added.
Novak Djokovic should have his eyes set on finishing number one for the record-tying sixth time. He needs to remain within 1,500 ATP Race to London points in order to have a chance to usurp Rafael Nadal at the Nitto ATP Finals.
He will get to face a determined Dimitrov who is more than eager to make a huge splash in the Paris Masters. The 28-year-old is in a resurgence of sorts after a splendid performance in the US Open, and he is projected to return to the Top 20 regardless of the result of this upcoming match.
Dimitrov will hope to score an upset against Djokovic. While that would a gargantuan task, he will be more motivated to try and do so especially with his loved ones watching nearby.
“Everything has been fantastic so far. My family is here, the team is around, so it gives you a certain amount of comfort to perform. I feel very well surrounded and hopefully there are two more matches to play,” said Dimitrov.
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