Humbert in straight sets.
We're mulling over a Shanghai Masters clash between young Arthur Cazaux and the stoically formidable Ugo Humbert. Now, before anyone gets too excited, I think it'd be wise to remind everyone that Arthur Cazaux is unseeded in the tournament, a tennis ingénue of sorts. I mean, sure, he caused a bit of a ruckus recently giving Čilić M. a shocking two-love dismissal, but do we really expect that to be repeated? I mean, I'm not your tennis oracle here, but even Atticus Finch knew when the odds were stacked against him.
On the other side, you've got Ugo Humbert who, despite getting a surprise jolt from Fils A., has been finding a good groove, flicking Nakashima B. and Mochizuki S. aside with relative nonchalance. Ugo Humbert didn't earn his 16th seed just based on his clean racket. The man knows his way around a tennis court, as surly as a rock and just as intractable.
To my seasoned, albeit somewhat cynical eye, this match is about as predictable as a rerun of Friends. We can toy with the idea of the underdog stunning us, that'd make for a pretty story right? Statistically speaking and with a detached heart, I predict it won't be so spectacular.
Albert’s Prediction: Humbert in straight sets.