ATP Cup 2022: Daniil Medvedev vs Alex de Minaur preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match Details
Fixture: (RUS) Daniil Medvedev vs (AUS) Alex de Minaur
Date: 4 January 2022
Tournament: ATP Cup 2022
Round: Group Stage
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $14 million
Match timing: Not before 7 pm local time, 8 am GMT, 1.30 pm IST
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime
Daniil Medvedev vs Alex de Minaur preview
Russia's Daniil Medvedev and Australia's Alex de Minaur are set to square off in their Group B tie on Day 4 of the 2022 ATP Cup.
Medvedev suffered a shock defeat against the Frenchman Ugo Humbert, going down 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-7 (2) in a match lasting almost three hours. The World No. 2 was the heavy favorite going into this match, but his opponent put up a spirited performance to emerge victorious.
Go, go Ugo 🙌
@HumbertUgo masters the Medvedev challenge 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(2) for the biggest win of his career, leveling the tie at 1-1 for #TeamFrance
#ATPCup https://t.co/y6bEAZcGZU
Despite playing in such a long match, Medvedev was back on court after a brief period of rest to play doubles alongside Roman Safiullin. They got the better of French pair Fabrice Martin and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, winning 6-4, 6-4 and helping Russia win the tie 2-1 against France.
Alex de Minaur played a brilliant match to defeat World No. 7 Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 7-6 (4). He was the underdog going into this match, but the tenacious Australian played exceptionally well to earn a point for his team.
Giant Slayer ⚔️
@alexdeminaur upsets Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 7-6(4) to keep #TeamAustralia alive in their Group B tie against #TeamItaly.
#ATPCup https://t.co/by09MuvWt1
De Minaur and Berrettini were evenly matched for the better part of the contest. But the Australian was the better player during the key moments and that proved to be the difference.
Daniil Medvedev vs Alex de Minaur head-to-head
Daniil Medvedev and Alex de Minaur have played thrice before, with the World No. 2 having a perfect 3-0 head-to-head record against his opponent. Their last meeting took place at the 2020 Paris Masters, with Medvedev winning 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
Daniil Medvedev vs Alex de Minaur prediction
While Russia and Australia both won their ties 2-1, the latter have topped the group based on the percentage of sets won. So it's a crucial match for Medvedev and de Minaur, as it could possibly decide who makes the semifinals.
Medvedev will be looking to make some minor improvements to his game after his loss to Humbert. With seven double faults in his last match, the 2021 US Open champion will be aiming for a better serving performance.
Another issue regarding Medvedev would be how he handles the crowd. The Australian public will be cheering for their home favorite de Minaur. While the Russian has handled things quite well when the crowd roots for an opposing player, it still affects his gameplay at times.
De Minaur is known for his agility and incredible court coverage, which will be extremely useful against Medvedev. The Russian is known to get even the most difficult of shots back into play.
After starting with a loss, Medvedev will be eager to get his campaign back on track. That motivation should give him the edge to triumph against de Minaur.
Prediction: Daniil Medvedev to win in three sets.