Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Miami Masters match.
Heading into the last 16 in Miami, top seed Alexander Zverev is quietly building momentum, while Arthur Fils enters this clash with some serious mileage already on the clock. The Frenchman’s marathon encounter in the previous round could well tip the scales in favour of the German.
Alexander Zverev
Zverev overcame a stern test from Jordan Thompson in the previous round (7:5, 6:4). The match was tighter than the score suggests — the Aussie had beaten Zverev twice before and showed flashes of that confidence again. But the German was clinical on break points (3/5) and dominant on serve, taking 82% of points on his first serve and 72% on his second. While not quite at his peak, Zverev’s efficiency and experience continue to see him through tricky spots.
Arthur Fils
The 17th seed had to dig deep to edge Frances Tiafoe in a gruelling three-set battle (7:6, 5:7, 6:2). The opening-set tiebreak alone lasted over 30 minutes, and despite trailing in the decider, Fils reeled off five games on the trot to complete a dramatic turnaround. That level of physical and emotional exertion is bound to have an impact with less than 48 hours of recovery time — especially against a player as solid and relentless as Zverev.
Alexander Zverev vs Arthur Fils Prediction
Zverev leads the series 3-1, with wins on all surfaces except clay — where Fils claimed his lone victory in a three-setter. Interestingly, they’ve never met on outdoor hard courts, and all but one of their clashes went the distance. That said, the Frenchman’s recent marathon could open the door for a straight-sets result this time.
