Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Paris Masters match.
Jack Draper, currently in fine form following his victory in the Vienna tournament and a confident start in Paris, will face the formidable Taylor Fritz, whose form after a break remains questionable. The Briton has already demonstrated his competitiveness by defeating Czech Jiri Lehecka in the previous round (7:5, 6:2).
Jack Draper
Draper is showcasing impressive indoor statistics this season, winning 7 of his last 10 matches on indoor hard courts. Notably, during this stretch, he faced three top-10 players, managing to take at least one set in each encounter. In Paris, Draper gave Jiri Lehecka no chance, winning 35 of 36 points on his first serve and not conceding a single break point. His successes this season include a semi-final appearance at the US Open and titles in Vienna (ATP 500) and Stuttgart (ATP 250).
Taylor Fritz
Fritz is known for his powerful serve and aggressive style, yet his record on indoor courts leaves something to be desired. Over the past three years, he has won only 56% of his matches on indoor hard courts (9 wins out of 16). In his last six matches on this surface, Fritz managed to achieve a victory with a margin greater than three games only once, indicating his difficulty adapting to the fast-paced indoor setting. Additionally, he hasn't played a match in the past two and a half weeks, which might affect his game fitness. The American leads their head-to-head battles 2-1, but each match has been tightly contested with the maximum number of sets. Their last meeting at the Olympics resulted in a Fritz victory (6:7, 6:3, 6:2), but that was on outdoor hard courts, and the indoor courts in Paris suit Draper's current form much better.
Jack Draper vs Taylor Fritz Prediction
Considering Draper's excellent form, strong serve, and positive indoor court performance, betting on Draper with a handicap (+1.5) looks quite logical. Fritz will likely face adaptation challenges after his break, while the Briton has all the qualities to challenge and even win in Paris.
