TennisSection previews the 2022 Rome Open as Denis Shapovalov takes on Nikoloz Basilashvili in the second roundon Tuesday, May 10th, 2022.
After holding off the home favorite Loenzo Sonego in the first round, Denis Shapovalov will need to recharge his batteries in less than 24 hours to take on Georgia’s Nikolo Basilashvili. Will the Canadian have enough gas in the tank to go toe-to-toe with Basilashvili?
Denis Shapovalov and Lorenzo Sonego went into Iron Man territory in their first round match. The match lasted three hours and 10 minutes. The first set alone took an hour and half to decide it, as Shapovalov recovered from a break down to force a tiebreak which he would clinch on his third set point. Sonegodid not back down and woke up in the second set when Shapovalov got tight in the eighth game. The Italian broke serve, much to the delight of the watching public in Grandstand Arena, before serving out the second set successfully. In the decider, Shapovalov restored a semblance of consistency in his ground strokes. Not only was the Canadian lefty overpowering Sonego, but he began painting the lines. He raced to a 4-1 lead and did not relinquish that lead for the remainder of the match.
Nikoloz Basilashvili, meanwhile, got the better of Dan Evans in straight sets to pick up just his third win of this clay season and his sixth overall in 2022. It has been a terrible year for Basilashvili whose three wins in Doha account for half of his wins. That run to the final of the Qatar Open remains his only major highlight of the first half of the season. However, the Georgian could fancy his chances of upsetting Shapovalov on Tuesday, having beaten the young Canada in each of their last two meetings.
Nikoloz Basilshvili bring s a 2-0 lead over Denis Shapovalov in their head-to-head. Both those meetings took place in 2018 when Shapovalov was very much in his teenage years and learning the trade. The Canadian has at times plotted his own downfall in matches. If he is not careful, he runs the risk of succumbing to Basilashvili’s aggression and excellent shot making. But Basilashvili is not consistent enough to take advantage of serious lapses in concentration from his opponents. That should give Shaovalov a huge sigh of relief especially after that energy-sapping opening match.
Free Tennis Pick and Prediction: Denis Shapovalov to win in 3 sets.
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