Casper Ruud vs Christopher Eubanks: 2023 Shanghai Masters - Preview & Prediction
ATP
Christopher Eubanks is back to winning ways at the 2023 Shanghai Masters, and he'll try to keep it going against Casper Ruud in the next round.
Eubanks hasn't played that well lately, even though his play likely is in line with his capabilities. The Wimbledon run was a combination of perfect conditions for his tennis and his playing amazing.
He did a similar thing in the opening round of the Shanghai, which stylistically also fit his really well. The serve + forehand combo is certainly enough to do some damage, especially against a player like Ruud, who doesn't play his best tennis on hard courts.
Even so, the Norwegian's form has been lately trending upward, though he's not yet at his peak. Whether he can hit it in Shanghai remains to be seen, but the matchup is a complicated one.
Head-to-head:
They played twice so far, and the score is 1-1. Eubanks won an ATP Challenger match five years ago in Stockholm, while Ruud retaliated last year in Indian Wells. This one promises to be rather interesting, as Shanghai should play better for Eubanks than Indian Wells.
The key will be his serve and if he can keep it at a high level it's going to be interesting.
Prediction:
While Eubanks is a capable player who can certainly hurt Ruud he's not the most consistent one. His play can go up and down depending on the day and that's a chance for Ruud who is a bit more stable overall. The Norwegian must use his chances clinically because he won't get many.
Ruud should avoid tiebreaks because you never know how it might go, but if they do end up in one, then he'll need to outplay him from the baseline. I see this one as a very close one, and Ruud pulling out a victory.
Prediction: Casper Ruud to win in three sets.
