dpThe remaining round of 16 matches in Stuttgart are scheduled for Thursday. No. 1 seed Ben Shelton and 2022 Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios will be among those who take to the court. As always, we at LWOT predict all the action, but which players do you expect to reach the quarterfinals?
ATP Stuttgart Day 4 Predictions
Jiri Lehecka vs James Duckworth
Head-to-head: First meeting
Duckworth overcame local favorite Diego Dedura in the opening round, while Lehecka received a bye as the No. 4 seed. Duckworth strikes the ball pretty flat and has the potential to be an awkward grass-court player when he plays well. However, I do not expect even his best tennis to be good enough against Lehecka, a former runner-up at the Queen’s Club and an all-around better player.
Prediction: Lehecka in 2
Nick Kyrgios vs Sho Shimabukuro
Head-to-head: First meeting
Despite his grass-court pedigree, Kyrgios’s superb performance in the opening round against Corentin Moutet surprised many. The Australian had not played a singles match in over five months and has not been the same player since 2022 because of injury issues. His body could break down at some point, but the 31-year-old will likely win this if he plays near the level he reached against Moutet.
Prediction: Kyrgios in 2
Ben Shelton vs Marcos Giron
Head-to-head: Shelton 2-2 Paul
Shelton’s serve is always pivotal in his matches, and Giron probably doesn’t quite have the baseline game to trouble him, especially in grass. It’s hard to see the top seed losing.
Prediction: Shelton in 2
Frances Tiafoe vs Rinky Hijikata
Head-to-head: Tiafoe 3-1 Hijikata
Tiafoe has already beaten Hijikata this year on both hard and clay courts. Grass suits Tiafoe’s game less than the other surfaces, but he was the 2023 champion in Stuttgart. While I do not expect Hijikata to make it easy, the American should have enough quality to prevail again. Hijikata lacks a significant weapon that could disrupt his opponent.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
