In this match of gladiators, we have Luciano "unseeded yet undefeated" Darderi tangoing against Ben "second seed sizzler" Shelton.
Now, take Shelton; he's got a fair wind in his sails from his recent victories, with a slight hiccup here and there. Last week he bulldozed Van De Zandschulp, and survived the storm Gojo. But, pay heed here, folks he faltered when nose-to-nose with Fokina and Wong previously. Let's remember, consistency is as much a virtue in tennis as trying to not grunt with every swing.
Now, talking about grunting, we've got Darderi who, unlike his melodious last name, has been a wailing nightmare for his competitors. He took down Kecmanović in three sets, before doing quick two-set work of O'Connell, Griekspoor, Carballés Baena, and Kopřiva. It seems nobody has served this unseeded menace a bitter slice of defeat off-late.
Additionally, turning our gaze to the numbers, our man Shelton is rolling on cloud 2 seed, while Darderi is the dark horse with no seeding whatsoever. We've seen these underdogs rip the form book to tatters before, haven't we?
Hence, looking at the ins and outs, this is poised to be a mouth-watering clash. But by the margin of a whisker, I have to give the nod to the unseeded and unconquered Darderi. With his streak of domination, he is likely to make Shelton fall in love with the word...erm...love.
Albert’s Prediction: Darderi in 3 sets.
