Acapulco 2022: Daniil Medvedev vs Pablo Andujar preview, head-to-head & prediction | Abierto Mexicano Telcel
Match details
Fixture: (1) Daniil Medvedev vs Pablo Andujar.
Date: 23 February 2022.
Tournament: Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2022.
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
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 Pablo Andujar preview
Top seed Daniil Medvedev will take on Spain's Pablo Andujar in the second round of the 2022 Abierto Mexicano Telcel on Wednesday.
Medvedev commenced his challenge in Mexico with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Benoit Paire. He won the opening set by breaking his opponent's serve twice, but trailed 2-4 in the second set. The top seed then won the next four games in a row to win the match.
Medvedev will ascend to the top of the rankings if he wins the title in Mexico, regardless of reigning World No. 1 Novak Djokovic's results in Dubai. However, if the Russian loses early, the 20-time Major champion will remain at the top if he manages to advance a round further than Medvedev.
The World No. 2 had an opportunity to replace Djokovic as the top-ranked player during the Australian Open. After winning the first couple of sets against Rafael Nadal in the final, it seemed like a distinct possibility.
However, Nadal staged a spectacular comeback to win his 21st Grand Slam title, dashing Medvedev's hopes.
One in the books 👏
@DaniilMedwed works his way past Benoit Paire 6-3 6-4 to reach the round of 16 at #AMT2022 https://t.co/bL4cKOsHmH
Meanwhile, Pablo Andujar handed Alex Hernandez a 6-0, 6-1 beatdown in the first round of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel. It was a forgettable ATP main draw debut for Hernandez, as the Spaniard was too good for him in every aspect of the game.
Earlier this year, Andujar reached the third round of the Australian Open for the first time in his career. He competed in a couple of claycourt events in South America after that, with a quarterfinal showing at the Rio Open his best result so far this season.
Daniil Medvedev vs Pablo Andujar head-to-head
Medvedev leads the head-to-head against Andujar 1-0, having won their solitary meeting in the third round of the 2021 US Open 6-0, 6-4, 6-3 en route to the title.
Daniil Medvedev vs Pablo Andujar prediction
Medvedev will be the firm favorite to win this contest based on the duo's recent results. Andujar has managed to upset a couple of big names over the last year, namely Roger Federer and Dominic Thiem. However, the Spaniard scored those wins on clay, a surface he's comfortable on.
Medvedev, meanwhile, is a beast on hardcourt. He ended 2021 with a 51-8 record on hardcourt and is arguably the best player right now on the surface.
For Andujar, they key will be to prevent Medvedev from getting any rhythm during the rallies. However, the Russian knows how to be patient and switch from defense to offense in a flash. He is a supreme defender, possessing incredible movement around the court.
An area of concern for Medvedev would be his serve, as he hit nine double faults in his first-round match. He did quite well in other aspects to offset his shortcomings while serving but similar lapses would not bode well for his fortunes in the tournament.
In any case, Medvedev should be able to fend off Andujar and progress to the next round.
Prediction: Daniil Medvedev to win in straight sets.