China Open 2024: Daniil Medvedev vs Gael Monfils preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Daniil Medvedev vs Gael Monfils
Date: September 26, 2024
Tournament: 2024 China Open
Round: First Round (Round of 32)
Venue: National Tennis Center, Beijing, China
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $3,720,165
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky UK | Canada - TSN | India - Tennis Channel
Daniil Medvedev vs Gael Monfils preview
Last year's losing finalist Daniil Medvedev will lock horns with French veteran Gael Monfils in a highly anticipated first-round clash at the 2024 China Open on Thursday, September 26.
Medvedev arrives in Beijing with a 39-16 match record this season. He has surprisingly yet to win a title, with his best results being runner-up finishes at the Australian Open and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. He also reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, Dubai, and Miami but couldn't convert his opportunities in those encounters to advance further.
His North American hardcourt swing started poorly, with second-round exits in Montreal and Cincinnati. Although he showed promise at the US Open, he was dominated in the quarterfinal by the eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
Medvedev participated in the Laver Cup last, where he lost both of his singles matches in match tie-breaks to Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton. He did, however, end up on the winning side with Team Europe, thanks to the heroic efforts of Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz.
On the other hand, Monfils enters Beijing with a 21-19 match record this season. His best results so far include semifinal appearances in Qatar and Mallorca, as well as deep runs to the fourth round in Indian Wells and the third round at Wimbledon.
Monfils began his North American hardcourt swing with a first-round loss in Montreal but quickly made up for it with what could be considered the biggest victory of his career the following week in Cincinnati, where he defeated Alcaraz in the second round. He however lost to Holger Rune in the next round.
At the US Open, Monfils defeated fellow veteran Diego Schwartzman in the first round but fell to eighth seed Casper Ruud in a tightly contested four-set match in the subsequent round.
Daniil Medvedev vs Gael Monfils head-to-head
Daniil Medvedev and Gael Monfils are currently tied at 2-2 in their head-to-head record. Medvedev won their most recent encounter 6-2, 6-4 in Monte Carlo earlier this year, but Monfils leads their head-to-head 2-1 on hard courts.
Daniil Medvedev vs Gael Monfils odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Daniil Medvedev vs Gael Monfils prediction
Daniil Medvedev enters Beijing eager to claim the title after falling short last year. He has shown good form on hard courts recently but has struggled to capitalize on his chances and close out matches. A lack of decisiveness on critical points and an unhealthy count of unforced errors have hindered his performance.
Similarly, Monfils has looked in good knick since the transition back to hard courts from grass. He has been a powerhouse with his serve and at the baseline, but consistency has eluded him. Like Medvedev, his unforced errors have been an issue, which needs to be addressed if he hopes to compete with the top players.
Medvedev enters this contest as the favorite due to his superior hardcourt record. He boasts a career index of 0.744 on the surface, while Monfils has a 0.652 index. Medvedev has also performed on it better this year with a 22-9 record compared to Monfils' 13-11. Additionally, Medvedev has a stronger record in Beijing, standing at 11-5, with Monfils at 0-2.
While fans can expect an exciting match between the two, Medvedev should prevail in straight sets if he plays close to his usual level.
Pick: Medvedev in straight sets.