Karen Khachanov vs Ben Shelton Prediction

Both players are in the upper echelon of rankings, with Khachanov ranked 16 and Shelton at 8. Khachanov’s form index stands at 67.49, reflecting solid recent performances, while Shelton’s index is slightly lower at 64.98. However, Khachanov possesses a higher Elo rating of 2053.27 compared to Shelton’s 1884.59, indicating his overall skill level has been recognized over a broader time frame. Fatigue may play a role as Khachanov has spent 586 minutes on the court this tournament, compared to Shelton’s 534 minutes. In terms of surface strength, Khachanov holds a slight advantage with an index of 16.44 against Shelton's 15.35. Looking at their recent matches, Khachanov has shown resilience, winning all three of his past matches, including a hard-fought victory against Alexander Zverev. His ability to win against higher-ranked opponents is noteworthy. In contrast, Shelton has also been impressive, winning three straight matches without dropping a set, including a decisive win over Taylor Fritz in the semifinals. Notably, Khachanov’s mean serve index of 96.73 is marginally higher than Shelton’s 96.48, but the difference in return indices is more pronounced with Khachanov at 85.37 and Shelton at 84.15, which could impact their ability to win points on the return.