Matteo Arnaldi and Ben Shelton will square off in a cracking second-round contest at the 2024 Acapulco Open. The SportsRush’s prediction for Ben Shelton vs Matteo Arnaldi favours Shelton to win in three sets, even though Arnaldi will be a threat after his recent win.
Shelton is yet to hit top gear in 2024 but is gradually getting there. The American youngster reached the semi-final of the Dallas Open to rebuild after an early exit from the 2024 Australian Open. Shelton arrived in Acapulco with a 6-4 record for the year and beat Dan Evans in the first round. A win here would see him equal his father Bryan’s best finish in the tournament. The senior Shelton reached the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open in 1994.
Arnaldi, meanwhile, has struggled after the Grand Slam Down Under, winning only one of three matches. This includes a first-round exit in his previous event, the Los Cabos Open. Overall, his record is 5-5 YTD. However, he scored a stunning upset win in the opening encounter in Acapulco. He beat #4 seed and World No.10 Taylor Fritz in three sets.
This will be the first Ben Shelton vs Matteo Arnaldi clash on the ATP Tour. Both youngsters have a similar approach and playing style. However, Shelton supersedes Arnaldi when it comes to power, a vital element on slow clay courts. The World No.17’s best results have come on hard courts but the Italian is no pushover. This tie will likely go down to the wire, but Shelton will prevail over the World No.42. The winner will face either Dusan Lajovic or Casper Ruud in the quarter-final.
The match is scheduled for Wednesday, February 28, not before 7:20 pm local time (8:20 pm ET). TennisTV will stream this tie worldwide whereas fans in the USA can also watch on Tennis Channel. The temperatures will be around 28°C with clear skies.
