Alexander Shevchenko vs Pablo Carreno Busta Prediction United Cup Tennis Picks 12/27/24

For only the second time in his career, Alexander Shevchenko will represent Kazakhstan in a team competition.

The Russian-born Shevchenko switched allegiance to Kazakhstan in early 2024 and played in the Davis Cup under his new nationality in September, but failed to make an impression in defeat to Denmark.

Now selected as the country’s No. 1 male player for the United Cup, Shevchenko will be determined to get the ball rolling here. He is coming off a very mediocre season in which he only won 22 matches and saw his ranking fall from a career-high of No. 45 to 78.

Pablo Carreno Busta Preview

Pablo Carreno Busta was once touted as the future of Spanish men’s tennis, but those claims are now a distant memory. Carreno Busta has spent the last one and half years in the treatment room dealing with multiple injuries and only returned to competitive action in May 2024.

He played in 13 tournaments. His best result was in reaching the semifinal in Winston-Salem. This is the first time he will play in the United Cup.

Carreno Busta is currently ranked 196th although he is a former Top 10 player.

Alexander Shevchenko vs Pablo Carreno Busta Head-To-Head

• Pablo Carreno Busta leads Alexander Shevchenko 1-0 in their head-to-head.

• The Spaniard won their only meeting at the 2024 Winston-Salem in straight sets.

Alexander Shevchenko vs Pablo Carreno Busta Prediction

Shevchenko is one of those players who will be delighted to start the new season on a clean slate. He finished 2024 with three defeats in a row. Even in his worst season, Carreno Busta was able to beat Shevchenko quite comfortably on a hard court. The Spaniard has a more astute game, and if his injury nightmare is behind him, he’ll cruise to victory.