Will Zverev end Shelton’s run?
Only one American remains for the Ohio crowd to cheer on. Local hero Ben Shelton is in the best form of his young career. His winning streak of nine matches in a row is no coincidence, and his new level of play makes the Shelton vs. Zverev tip an exciting one.
Since the left-hander left the hallowed turf of Wimbledon behind and the tour returned to hard courts, his performances have been phenomenal (12-1). The world number six could cap his first Masters title with his first win in a head-to-head match (0-3) in the Shelton vs. Zverev prediction.
The new bookmakers are not wrong to favor the German’s abilities in the Shelton – Zverev betting odds. Both players have a terrific serve and rank among the top five in the tour’s service ratings (over the past 52 weeks).
As the rallies get longer, the pendulum swings increasingly in the German’s favor. At least, that has been the case in their previous encounters. At the same time, we acknowledge that the US player has made significant improvements in this area, narrowing the gap in quality.
During their three previous matches in this tournament, the two top 10 players have made very few mistakes. Their serving skills in particular stood out. The Shelton vs. Zverev odds are certainly close because both players have only allowed one break so far. We expect an intense match that will go the full distance.
Shelton – Zverev Head-to-head record / H2H record
The history of this encounter began almost exactly a year ago. Same tournament, same round – Zverev won his first duel against Shelton after three intense sets and advanced to the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open. There have been two more meetings since then, both in this calendar year.
On the red clay in Munich, the Hamburg native won his only title of the year in the final against the American. Shortly afterwards, and also on German soil, the 2021 Olympic champion won the duel on grass (Stuttgart).
Shelton – Zverev Tip
Shelton particularly enjoys the US swing. His record for the year is good (35-16), and his statistics at Masters level this season are a taste of things to come (13-5). However, it would be presumptuous to automatically cast Zverev as the underdog. In 2025, Zverev has racked up more wins (42-15) and built up a formidable Masters record (14-6). If both players find their rhythm quickly on serve, there are unlikely to be many breaks, but plenty of tiebreak excitement.
We are betting on ‘3 sets in the match’ in the Betano app, which promises you more than double your winnings. Small details will decide this match. Zverev still has the clear advantage in the head-to-head (3-0), but Shelton has never had a better chance than now to claim his first victory against the world number three.
