By Aliasgar Ayaz

Copyright sportskeeda

Match DetailsFixture: (3) Alexander Zverev vs Valentin RoyerDate: October 4, 2025Tournament: 2025 Shanghai MastersRound: Second Round (Round of 64)Venue: Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, Shanghai, ChinaCategory: Masters 1000Surface: HardPrize Money: $9,193,540Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSNAlexander Zverev vs Valentin Royer previewAlexander Zverev at the 2025 China Open – Source: GettyZverev comes into Shanghai firmly in the spotlight as World No. 3. His 2025 record of 47-20 reflects a season of highs and lows. He has had dominant runs and surprising stumbles. He captured the Munich ATP 500 title on clay and has shown flashes of excellence on hard courts. Yet his form has been inconsistent, with several early exits marring otherwise solid performances. As he enters the back stretch of the season, Zverev will seek a strong showing at this Masters 1000 event.Royer, ranked No. 76, has mostly competed on Challenger circuits and through qualifying draws. He holds a modest 8-6 record on the tour this year, but has turned heads with notable runs, most recently reaching the final in Hangzhou.It significantly boosted his ranking. His game is battle-tested and full of grit. In Shanghai, Royer will aim to extend his surprise underdog form and push up the draw.Alexander Zverev vs Valentin Royer head-to-headZverev and Royer’s head-to-head record stands at 0-0. Their second-round encounter at the Shanghai Masters will be the first time they face each other on the ATP Tour.Alexander Zverev vs Valentin Royer oddsPlayer NameMoneylineHandicap BetsTotal GamesAlexander Zverev-525-3.5 (-165)Over 21.5 (-140)Valentin Royer+350+3.5 (+115)Under 21.5 (-102)(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)Alexander Zverev vs Valentin Royer predictionValentin Royer at the 2025 US Open – Source: GettyZverev’s recent form since the US Open has been far from convincing. At the Laver Cup, he suffered defeats to both Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur, and in Beijing, he fell tamely in the quarterfinals to Daniil Medvedev after earlier wins over Lorenzo Sonego and Corentin Moutet. The World No. 3 received a bye in the Shanghai opener, but he will need to raise his level if he is to keep pace in the rankings battle against Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. On the other side, Royer arrives full of confidence after his breakthrough run to the Hangzhou final, where he claimed standout victories over Andrey Rublev, Learner Tien, and Moutet before losing to Alexander Bublik. He also battled through Shanghai qualifying and opened with a solid win over Mariano Navone. Still, Zverev’s superior experience, consistency, and power should see him win this contest in straight sets.Pick: Zverev to win in straight sets.Alexander Zverev vs Valentin Royer betting tipsTip 1: Zverev to win 2-0 in setsTip 2: Total games under 20.5Tip 3: Royer to win under 8.5 games