The semifinal of the 2024 Shanghai Masters pits Tomas Machac against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Sinner will be in the best of moods as he straight-up devastated Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals. On the other hand, Machac sent shockwaves through the tennis fraternity after his straight-set victory against Carlos Alcaraz. The two men have clashed once, with Sinner taking their encounter in Miami 2024 in straight sets.
Claim Welcome BonusJannik Sinner (Italy ATP #1)
Currently at a career ranking, top-serving Jannik Sinner has shown minimal weaknesses this year, leading the ATP Tour with 59 match wins in 2024. He will be coming into this semifinal on a six-match winning streak and fresh from an emphatic win against Medvedev, considering his strong service statistics. Hence, Sinner seems to fire on all cylinders: 82% of the first serve points won, and 100% break points saved in his last match.
Recently, Sinner has been fantastic in both the first and second serve percentages, making him very hard to break. He saved all the break points against Medvedev and dominated return games, converting 3 of his own.
Sinner's aggressive baseline game lets him dictate, as he generally comes out on top in long rallies. His forehand allows him to control most of the points, which is the main reason behind his success.
Tomas Machac (Czech ATP #33)
At last, Tomas Machac is having his breakout season, ranked 33 in the world. His quarterfinal victory against Alcaraz was testimonial to his resilience and poise under pressure. While he had a lower first serve percentage at 60%, some of Machac's second serve statistics looked impressive: 95% of the points won on his second serve. Indeed, his ability to win crucial break points proved to be the turning point.
Machac seems to relish in soaking-up kinds of pressure and then counterattacking-as was seen against Alcaraz. A good defensive game that disrupts the rhythm of such players will be put to test against Sinner.
With his performances in tie-breaks and saving break points at 87 percent, he is sure to carry this strong mental toughness into the most decisive moments against the top opponent.
Expert Betting Tips
Sinner is, of course, the overwhelming favorite based on current form and ranking. He's so tough to break down because of his relentless baseline aggression and consistency on serve. Also, winning in six consecutive straight sets does not hurt. On this form, Machac will be unable to handle the heavy shots coming off Sinner's groundstrokes and his superior athleticism.
- Under 21.5 Games @ 1.64 Odds
- Under 20.5 Games @ 1.79 Odds
- 1st Set Under 9.5 Games @ 1.72 Odds
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