RICKY DIMON’S PICKS FOR THE SHANGHAI QUARTERFINALS, INCLUDING NADAL VS. WAWRINKA AND DJOKOVIC VS. TOMIC

Written by: Staff on 15th October 2015

RICKY DIMON'S PICKS FOR THE SHANGHAI QUARTERFINALS, INCLUDING NADAL VS. WAWRINKA AND DJOKOVIC VS. TOMIC

epa04978383 Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Milos Raonic of Canada during their match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, 15 October 2015. EPA/ROLEX DELA PENA |

A blockbuster quarterfinal lineup on Friday at the Shanghai Rolex Masters includes Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Nadal is facing Stan Wawrinka, while Djokovic is going up against Bernard Tomic. Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych, Kevin Anderson, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are also in action.

(8) Rafael Nadal vs. (4) Stan Wawrinka

Wawrinka and Nadal will be squaring off for the 15th time in their careers. Nadal is dominating the head-to-head series 12-2, but the tide has begun to turn. Wawrinka captured his first of two Grand Slam titles at the 2014 Australian Open by upsetting a hobbled Spaniard 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. The Swiss won his second in a row at Nadal’s expense by getting the job done 7-6(7), 6-2 earlier this season in Rome. They have faced each other twice in Shanghai, with Nadal coming out on top 6-4, 6-4 in the 2010 second round and 7-6(10), 6-1 in the 2013 quarterfinals.

The world No. 7 has done well to back up a solid runner-up showing in Beijing, although his week almost never got off the ground. Nadal needed in a third-set tiebreaker to survive Ivo Karlovic 7-5, 6-7(4), 7-6(4) before taking out another huge server–Milos Raonic–via a 6-3, 7-6(3) decision on Thursday. Wawrinka got past Viktor Troicki 7-6(3), 6-3 and Marin Cilic 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-4 to reach the last eight. The fourth seed and recent Tokyo champion is 14-1 in his last 15 matches dating back to the start of the U.S. Open. But so much tennis may be catching up with Wawrinka, who dealt with a shoulder injury against Cilic and will not be helped by spending two hours and 54 minutes on court. This sets up nicely for Nadal to continue his upswing in both form and confidence.

Ricky’s Pick: Nadal in 3

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. Bernard Tomic

Djokovic has been just about unbeatable this season and his career in Asia is no different. The world No. 1 recently improved to 29-0 lifetime in Beijing by capturing his sixth title at that event last week. He is now 21-3 in Shanghai with two titles and zero losses prior to the semifinals in five appearances. So far this week Djokovic has destroyed Martin Klizan and Feliciano Lopez, improving to 70-5 for his 2015 campaign.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action against Feliciano Lopez of Spain during their match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, 15 October 2015. EPA/ROLEX DELA PENA

Up next for the top seed is Tomic, who is 0-4 lifetime in the head-to-head series. They played a close one at Wimbledon in 2011 but since then it has been absolute one-way traffic–including a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 beatdown at the All-England Club this summer. Still, Tomic has been playing surprisingly inspired tennis of late and he is wrapping up his best season on tour. The 23-year-old Aussie is up to 20th in the world and will reach at least No. 18 next week. Tomic advanced to Shanghai quarters by defeating Fernando Verdasco, David Ferrer, and Richard Gasquet. His match against the Frenchman was impressive to say the least, but a two-hour and 13-minute struggle one day before meeting Djokovic will not help.

Ricky’s Pick: Djokovic in 2

(3) Andy Murray vs. (5) Tomas Berdych

Murray and Berdych will be facing each other for the 13th time in their careers. Berdych once led the head-to-head series 3-1, 4-2, and 6-4, but Murray has leveled it at 6-6 thanks to a pair of 2015 victories. The second-ranked Scot won a heated Australian Open showdown 6-7(6), 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 before cruising 6-4, 6-4 in Miami. Murray has won six of their nine previous hard-court encounters.

Andy Murray of Britain in action against John Isner of the USA during their match in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center in Shanghai, China, 15 October 2015. EPA/ROLEX DELA PENA

Berdych appears to be rounding back into form after a mostly disappointing spring and summer. The fifth-ranked Czech lifted a winner’s trophy earlier this month in Shenzhen and so far in Shanghai he has taken out Jack Sock and Gilles Simon. Ranked 14th, Simon represented Berdych’s best scalp since upsetting then-No. 3 Rafael Nadal in Melbourne. Murray punched his ticket to the last eight by getting past Americans Steve Johnson and John Isner. The third seed is an incredible 16-2 lifetime at this event with two titles and a runner-up finish. All signs point to a Murray victory.

Ricky’s Pick: Murray in 2

(12) Kevin Anderson vs. (16) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Anderson appears to be playing inspired, statement-making tennis after breaking into the top 10 for the first time in his career on Monday. A run to the U.S. Open quarterfinals helped propel him to 10th in the world, although he has been consistent almost the whole season with a 42-20 record. The 6’8” South African has bounced back nicely from an opening-round loss in Tokyo to score straight-set victories in Shanghai over Tommy Haas, Fabio Fognini, and Kei Nishikori.

Up next for Anderson on Friday is a second-ever meeting with Tsonga. Their only previous encounter came last year on the clay courts of Rome, where the Frenchman prevailed 7-6(14), 7-6(5). An otherwise lackluster 2015 campaign saw Tsonga pick up momentum with a quarterfinal showing in New York followed by a title in Metz. The world No. 15 looked lifeless in his Beijing opener last week but he is back on track in Shanghai with defeats of Tommy Robredo, Victor Estrella Burgos, and Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Anderson has enjoyed a more routine week at the office and a confident, well-rested No. 12 seed should maintain his perfect record as a member of the top 10.

Ricky’s Pick: Anderson in 3

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, Bernard Tomic, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Kevin Anderson, Men's tennis, Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Ricky Dimon, Shanghai Masters, sports news, Stan Wawrinka, Tennis, Tomas Berdych

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10sBalls_com says:

October 15, 2015 at 2:07 pm

@Dimonator’s PICKS FOR THE #ShanghaiMasters QUARTERFINALS, INCLUDING #Nadal VS. #Wawrinka AND #Djokovic VS. #Tomic- http://t.co/w9UarjulVE