“So there’s nothing bigger than winning a gold medal I think for your country.” Determination levels appeared to be at their peak when Alexander Zverev said this in an interview with the ATP Tour. The German had his clay court dreams shattered as he faced a defeat against Carlos Alcaraz in the final match at the French Open. While the Paris Olympics has blessed him with another chance to prove his worth, his dominance is creating new hopes.

After swiftly moving ahead from the first round, Zverev is now matched against Tomas Machac, who paved his way through a tough challenge against Zhang Zhizhen. But who among these two notable rivals has better odds of winning? Here are the odds!

Alexander Zverev vs Tomas Machac: Preview

Currently ranked at No. 4, Zverev won his 1st round match against Jaume Antoni Munar Clar 6-2, 6-2. Zverev played aggressively, hitting 25 winners and scoring 68 points to Munar 44. He served 8 aces with no double faults. Zverev won 81% of his first serves and 67% of his second serves without facing a breakpoint. Zverev broke Munar Clar 4 times, converting 44% of his break points.

Tomas Machac won his 1st round match against Zhizhen Zhang 6-2, 4-6, 6-2. Machac proved tough against his rival as he ended up hitting 28 winners and scoring 87 points to Zhang’s 69. He served 7 aces with no double faults, winning 76% of his first serves and 59% of his second serves. Despite this, he conceded his serve 3 times. Machac broke Zhang 6 times, converting 50% of his break points.

Zverev vs Machac: Head-to-head

The upcoming showdown between Alexander Zverev and Tomas Machac is set to be a surprise for the fans. Both the players have never battled against each other in their careers. Therefore, the upcoming showdown at Roland Garros will be the first time they pose a challenge.

Prediction: Zverev to win in straight sets

Alexander Zverev is expected to dominate Tomas Machac in their upcoming match. Zverev has had a remarkable season, which is highlighted by his runner-up finish at the French Open, the Hamburg Open, and the Italian Open triumph. His aggressive baseline play, combined with his height and power, allows him to consistently push opponents onto the backfoot, making it difficult for them to control the rallies. 

Looking at his numbers in the ongoing season, Zverev sits on a strong clay record of 21-5. He has hit 197 aces on clay, with only 57 double faults this year. Although he is an all-court player, some of his best results this year have come on clay, which spells even more bad news for Machac. 

Machac, on the other hand, has also proved to be strong enough by reaching the final in Geneva and pushing Medvedev to five sets at the French Open. However, despite these achievements, Machac’s overall performance this season can easily be downtrodden by Zverev’s dominant form and consistency. Furthermore, Machac has only managed 49 aces, which are coupled with 36 double faults. Serving is not his strong suit at the moment, and it will be thoroughly abused by the German.

However, the Czechia has shown a good return on serve on clay with 42% of return games won. Should he manage a similar performance against Zverev, we might be in for an upset. While Machac has proved he can compete against top players, Zeverev’s current momentum and powerful game give him an obvious upper hand. The pick is Alexander Zverev securing a commendable victory in straight sets.