Acapulco 2022: Daniil Medvedev vs Benoit Paire preview, head-to-head & prediction | Abierto Mexicano Telcel
Match details
Fixture: (1) Daniil Medvedev vs Benoit Paire
Tournament: Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2022
Round: First round (Round of 32)
Venue: Acapulco, Mexico
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $1,832,890
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Tennis TV
Daniil Medvedev vs Benoit Paire preview
Top seed Daniil Medvedev will take on Benoit Paire in the first round of the 2022 Mexican Open.
Medvedev will be playing in his first tournament since the heartbreaking loss to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final. He won the first couple of sets in the championship match before the Spaniard staged a spectacular comeback to win his 21st Grand Slam title.
The World No. 2 was earlier slated to participate in the Rotterdam Open, but withdrew citing fatigue. The Russian is likely to be in a better state of mind and physically recharged after a few weeks of rest.
Medvedev also has a shot at becoming the World No. 1 if he wins the title in Acapulco. Novak Djokovic, who's currently the top-ranked player, is competing in Dubai. Even if the Russian fails to lift the trophy this weekend, he can still ascend to the top spot as long as he outperforms the Serb.
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Benoit Paire's best performance this year has been a third-round showing at the Australian Open. He defeated Thiago Monteiro in his opening match and upset Grigor Dimitrov in the second round, before losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Paire arrives in Mexico on the heels of a poor showing during the South American clay swing, losing in the opening round of all three tournaments he competed in. Aside from his run in Melbourne, the Frenchman has lost in the first round of every tournament he has competed in this season.
Daniil Medvedev vs Benoit Paire head-to-head
The two have faced off twice before, with Medvedev leading 2-0 in the head-to-head. He won their most recent encounter at the 2019 Cincinnati Open in straight sets.
Daniil Medvedev vs Benoit Paire prediction
Based on recent form, Medvedev will be the overwhelming favorite to win this contest. Paire is on a four-match losing streak at the moment and it's highly unlikely he'll snap it against the Russian.
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Medvedev's serve has improved considerably over the past few seasons. It will allow him to win many free points and dictate the play right from the start. He's also an excellent returner, so Paire will be under a lot of pressure during his service games.
The Frenchman is known for his flashy gameplay, often trying to incorporate trick shots in an attempt to win a point. This will likely backfire against an opponent of Medvedev's quality unless executed to perfection.
Paire is going through a rough patch at the moment and it's hard to see him putting an end to his losing streak against the World No. 2.
Prediction: Daniil Medvedev to win in straight sets.
Also Check Out : Mexican Open 2022 Results