The Shanghai Masters continues this week as Stan Wawrinka faces Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard while Alex Michelson goes up against Bu Yunchaokete in the round of 128. Damien Kayat previews.
2024 ATP Tour – ATP 1000
Shanghai Masters
Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena
Selected RO 128 matches – 2 October
Stan Wawrinka 21/20 | Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 73/100
This promises to be a fascinating clash between two players at completely different points in their respective careers. It seems as if the career of 39-year-old Swiss star Stan Wawrinka is coming to a screeching halt.
The three-time Grand Slam champion has really struggled this year, failing to win back-to-back matches the entire season. Wawrinka has compiled a 5-13 record this year, coming into this match off the back of four successive losses.
At this point, you almost wonder why he chooses to continue. To make matters worse for Wawrinka, this is the only Masters 1000 event in which he hasn’t reached the semifinals throughout his illustrious career (he reached the quarters in 2013 and 2015).
The man with one of the most gorgeous single-handed backhands in living memory just doesn’t have the same whip off those groundstrokes as he used to. Still, his next opponent is quite inexperienced and that could present Wawrinka with an opportunity.
The 21-year-old Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard has enjoyed a real breakthrough campaign that bodes well for his future. The big-serving giant started the year in ominous fashion, winning three hardcourt Challenger events between February and April.
He then translated that Challenger form into tour-level success, winning a maiden ATP Tour title at the Lyon Open (on clay, of all surfaces). He failed to build on that clay-court success but did manage to turn some heads at SW19, reaching the 4th round of a slam as a lucky loser.
The 6’8” behemoth failed to make much of an impression on the North American hardcourts, winning just once in five outings (including a qualifier).
He was rather meekly eliminated by Etcheverry in New York but he put up a decent showing against Alcaraz in Beijing. He possesses an incredible serve that should suit these traditionally quick Shanghai surfaces (though there is some conjecture about just how fast these Shanghai surfaces still are).
The Verdict: Mpetshi Perricard to win in straight sets 18/10
This will be their first career meeting. It feels like everything is pointing towards a Mpetshi Perricard win.
The Frenchman is a serve bot and Wawrinka has never truly come to terms with these surfaces (even in his prime). Wawrinka is in dreadful form and I think he will struggle with the Frenchman’s power and directness.
Alex Michelson 53/100 | Bu Yunchaokete 29/20
This has been an interesting first full season for 20-year-old Alex Michelson. Last year, he put aside his college eligibility and turned pro after finishing runner-up at the Newport event.
And all in all, I think he will be pleased with how things have gone. That booming serve helped him reach a 2nd successive Newport final (where he lost to Giron in three sets).
He then showed off admirable hardcourt prowess, finishing runner-up at Winston-Salem and reaching the quarters in Washington. He is fresh off a very respectable quarterfinal run at the ATP 500 event in Japan. He won four matches in Japan (qualifiers included).
He picked up a massive upset win over Stefanos Tsitsipas and I can see him having another solid showing in Shanghai. Michelson is a bright young talent who should thrive on these quick surfaces.
Yunchaokete Bu is about to meet Jannik Sinner in today’s Beijing semifinals, making this a slightly difficult match to contend with. I suspect that Sinner will comfortably progress to the final, meaning this match should go ahead as advertised.
In any event, the young Chinese baseliner is enjoying a magnificent little golden period. He entered the Hangzhou Open as a wildcard, defeating Hugo Gaston and 2nd seed Karen Khachanov to reach a maiden ATP Tour semifinal.
That result helped him gain a wildcard entry to Beijing and he hasn’t disappointed. He survived a tough opener against Shang but followed that up with straight-set wins against Lorenzo Musetti and 4th seed Andrey Rublev.
He was impressive against Rublev, hitting 13 winners to just 12 unforced errors and winning 80% of his first-serve points. He plays a no-nonsense brand of front-foot tennis, winning six of his last seven ATP matches (the upcoming semifinal against Sinner notwithstanding).
The Verdict: Michelson to win in straight sets 13/10
This will be their first career meeting. I think that Bu, regardless of how he fares against Sinner in the Beijing semifinal, will be feeling the strain of what has been a hectic few weeks.
Michelson has picked up some solid results this year and his recent quarterfinal run in Japan augers well for the end of the season. Michelson’s serve should also come to the fore on these surfaces.
