Denis Shapovalov has been playing well for a few weeks, and now he hopes to continue doing well on clay at the 2024 Houston Open.
His first event is the ATP 250 tournament in Houston, where he'll play against native player Marcos Giron. The Canadian missed a lot of time last year with injuries, but he's back this year, hoping to return to the Top 20.
The Canadian has been pretty decent, albeit with the customary inconsistencies. He's getting better, though, and clay season hasn't been that terrible for him in the past.
He's not the best player on clay, but he's more than capable and picked the Houston Open as the first event. The courts in Houston are pretty interesting because they're not as slow as those in Europe, so it's a nice transition from hard courts to clay courts for most players.
Head-to-head:
His first match at the event will be played against native player Giron, who can be a tricky player to play against. Oddly enough, they never played against each other, which is quite interesting to note.
Shapovalov is the better player, but Giron can always show up with a good level. Even if the Canadian is better, it's not as simple as simply taking him to win the match. I do think it will be a close match, but there are some things that go in Shapovalov's favor.
Prediction:
The Canadian generally has bigger weapons, and on a clay court, that matters. Quite often, the player who is able to produce a winner in a moment will end up winning the match, though his inconsistencies could ruin him.
Still, Shapovalov should be able to win this match, especially with new-found confidence, and on the clay courts that could possibly suit his style.
Prediction: Denis Shapovalov to win in two sets.
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