Dubai Championships: Zverev vs Sonego Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Dubai Championships as Alexander Zverev takes on Lorenzo Sonego in the quarterfinal on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

Alexander Zverev is showing some title-winning potential this week but faces a tricky quarterfinal clash against big-hitting Lorenzo Sonego. Who will prevail and move into the last four at the 2023 Dubai Championships?

It is the first time this season that Alexander Zverev has won back-to-back matches on the ATP Tour, ending the great run in the Middle East of Australian qualifier Christopher O’Connell. Zverev won 7-5 6-4 in possibly the best display of his 2023 campaign. He posted some incredible numbers behind his first serve, hammering 11 aces and tallying over 80% of points won on serve and did not face a single break point in the match. He will now lock horns with Felix Auger-Aliassime’s conqueror Lorenzo Sonego for a spot in the semifinals of the 2023 Dubai Championships.

Lorenzo Sonego, for his part, scored his first top-10 win of the season against an out-of-form Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Italian played with pinpoint precision off the serve and baseline duels to deliver another crushing defeat to the Canadian. He won 7-6 6-4, in a match that featured one break of serve. Can the 27-year-old sneak into his first ATP semifinal since September at the 2023 Dubai Championships when he takes on Alexander Zverev?

Alexander Zverev leads Lorenzo Sonego 1-0 in their head-to-head, winning their meeting at the Monte Carlo Masters back in 2021. Both these players looked for some kind of headstart to their 2023 campaign, and it looks like they have found some rhythm in their game at the Dubai Championships. But on the same note, it has been very difficult to dissect Zverev’s comeback. He has showcased his talent and brilliance at fluctuating times this season and although he has looked great this week, he is still very unpredictable at large. With Sonego finally getting over the line against higher-ranked opposition this year, that victory over Auger-Aliassime could serve as a launch pad to a great week. We recommend taking the games spread here, but Sonego looks way overpriced in the ML.