America’s Tommy Paul is all set to take on Italy’s Fabio Fognini in the R64 of the 2024 Shanghai Masters. Paul couldn’t make a deep run at the Japan Open. He was defeated by Tomas Machac (CZE) in the R16 by, 6-2,3-6,6(4)-7. However, if we look at his overall form this season, Paul has played some outstanding tennis this year. He has already won two titles this season. Can the American make a winning start in Shanghai?

Tommy Paul vs Fabio Fognini: Preview

Tommy Paul won the Dallas Open by defeating his compatriot Marcos Giron in the final. After that, he reached the final of the Delray Beach Open, but over there he was defeated by another American, Taylor Fritz. After that, although he played quite a decent brand of tennis in his next tournaments, Paul failed to convert those into fruitful results. His next big result came at the Queen’s Club Championships, where he defeated Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the finals by 6-1,7-6.

The 37-year-old experienced Italian, Fabio Fognini, has made quite a few deep runs in his previous tournaments this year but he hasn’t yet won a title in 2024. Fognini reached the QF of the Grand Prix Hassan II and the Swiss Open before making an SF run in San Marino. These three performances have so far been his best results in this season. Over here in Shanghai, he started his campaign by defeating his compatriot, Luciano Darderi, by 6-4,6(5)-7,6-4 in the R128. Can he beat the American superstar?

Paul vs Fognini: Head-to-Head

Well, he has already beaten him once in their previous meetings. Tommy Paul and Fabio Fognini have met each other twice in their careers so far. Currently, their H2H record is leveled at 1-1.

• 2019 Canadian Open R32: Fognini 7-6(3),6-3.
• 2024 French Open R64: Paul 6-1,6-0,6-2.

Prediction: Paul to win in straight sets

If we consider their current form, Tommy Paul looks much superior to the Italian. The 27-year-old American is currently ranked 13th in the world and he has a win-loss record of 36-16. On the other hand, Fabio Fognini (81) has a win-loss record of just 12-11 this season on the main Tour.

Now if we take a look at their playing styles, Fabio Fognini is more of an attack-minded player. He’s known for his streaky temperament and remarkable penchant for swearing, as well as his flair, speed, and movement on the court. He has a strong groundstroke in his armory, which is loaded with topspin. It helps him penetrate through the court and put his opponents on the back foot.

Whereas Fabio Fognini has the ability to bring variations in his game with short slices and drop shots. Although he doesn’t approach the net too often, Fognini can hit good volleys. Both of his forehand and backhand shots are quite lethal and this can cause a few troubles to the American in this match. However, his biggest weakness is his serve. He has hit 99 aces so far this season and has committed 114 double faults.

Tommy Paul, on the other hand, has a venomous serve in his bag. He has hit 287 aces this season and committed just 97 double faults. He possesses a strong attacking forehand and solid footwork along the baseline. Apart from that, his speed coming into the net is quite exceptional and Fognini needs to be very watchful of this aspect in his opponent’s game. Considering all these factors, especially their current form, we expect the American to get through to the next round.