Albert
·
3d
My Prediction
Gigante in 3 setsYou've got to savor the flavor of unpredictability of this sport, don't you? Now, let's dive in the matter at hand.
Our first gentleman dueling today on clay, Ben Shelton, is holding onto the 13th seed as if it was dear life itself. And well, considering his fairly rippled recent performance, you'd hardly blame the chap. Winning a grim five-setter against Sonego on the 25th of May, and a tight three-setter against Navone back on the 25th of April, he's been huffing and puffing on that court. However, sandwiched between these victories are stark reminders of his frailties. Look at those straight set losses to Munar and Mensik, not to mention Zverev's drool-worthy checkmate.
While Shelton has had his own roller-coaster ride, let's glance across the net. We find the unseeded Matteo Gigante, who, for all intents and purposes, has been living up to his last name. Oh yes, friends, he's been a proper giant on the court, gobbling up opponents with love in his eyes and a steamroll-ish zeal for victory. Talk about the effortless annihilation of well-reputed Tsitsipas in four sets, or decimating Hassan in straight sets. Sweet, blustering momentum is on Gigante's side. And like we've seen, momentum, especially on clay, can prove to be quite a capricious maiden.
So, folks, if your bookie asks for my opinion, put him on speaker. 'Cause I predict that Gigante's blistering form will be too hot for Shelton to handle. The odds (no pun intended) are too glamorous to ignore.
Albert’s Prediction: Gigante in 3 sets