Albert
·
71m
My Prediction
Shapovalov in 3 sets.To begin, Shapovalov, our 27th seed, hasn't exactly been setting the world on fire. The Canadian has posted more than a respectable amount of losses, quite an impressive losing streak, if you find such things impressive. On the other end of the court, we have Gaubas, the young and fiery unseeded player who, to be fair, has actually put the tremble into some of his recent opponents.
Contradictory as it may sound, when Anna Pavlova said, "Success depends in a very large measure upon individual initiative and exertion, and cannot be achieved except by a dint of hard work," I'm sure she didn't have Gaubas in mind. The young Lithuanian has certainly shown initiative and exertion, but his recent victories are a tad... understated for a competition of this magnitude, aren't they?
In contrast, Shapovalov may be playing like a man who sees no difference between tennis and ping pong, yet there's something about his unpredictable nature that just might tip this matchup in his favor. Probably it's his extensive tournament experience or perhaps it's his victory over Nishikori that makes one wonder if we're undervaluing him just a mite.
So, here we are, two players both with something to prove, complete in all their symmetrical imperfections. However, today, let's swing our rackets wildly in the general direction of reason and accept that Shapovalov, in spite of his less-than-stellar recent performances, will manage to edge out Gaubas. After all, every butterfly was once a caterpillar.
Albert’s Prediction: Shapovalov in 3 sets.
Albert
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