Mallorca Championships 2022: Daniil Medvedev vs Aslan Karatsev preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (1) Daniil Medvedev vs Aslan Karatsev.
Date: June 22, 2022
Tournament: Mallorca Championships 2022
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
Venue: Santa Ponsa, Spain.
Category: ATP 250.
Surface: Grass.
Prize money: €886,500.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | India - Discovery.
Daniil Medvedev vs Aslan Karatsev preview
After a first-round bye, World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev will kick off his title defense against compatriot Aslan Karatsev at the 2022 Mallorca Championships on Wednesday.
Medvedev has been in fine form over the last couple of weeks. He kicked off his grass season at the Libema Open. Following wins over Gilles Simon, Ilya Ivashka and Adrian Mannarino, he made it to the title round. The Russian took on Tim van Rijthoven, but suffered a surprising straight-sets defeat.
Medvedev next competed at the Halle Open. He notched up wins over David Goffin, Ivashka, Roberto Bautista Agut and Oscar Otte to reach his second straight final. He took on Hubert Hurkacz for the title, but fell short yet again as he lost 6-1, 6-4.
Medvedev now returns to Mallorca, aiming for a successful title defense to make up for his previous two losses.
Another final on grass here in @ATPHalle! Congrats to @HubertHurkacz today. Wheels up to @MallorcaChamps now for another week on grass. https://t.co/oUsXfDT5Op
Aslan Karatsev kicked off his grass season at the Stuttgart Open, but failed to make it to the main draw. He lost in the first round of qualifying against Dominic Stricker. At the Halle Open, he was up against compatriot Karen Khachanov in the first round.
Karatsev claimed the closely-fought opening set, but eventually lost the match in three sets. He took on Jaume Munar in the first round of the Mallorca Championships. The Spaniard got off to a quick start and bagged the opening set.
Karatsev then staged a spirited comeback, raising his level over the course of the match to win 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. This was his first win since making it to the second round of the Italian Open in May.
Daniil Medvedev vs Aslan Karatsev head-to-head
Karatsev leads Medvedev 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2021 Italian Open in straight sets.
Daniil Medvedev vs Aslan Karatsev odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Daniil Medvedev vs Aslan Karatsev prediction
Considering their recent form, Medvedev will be the overwhelming favorite to come through this clash. While he has been a little lacklustre in the last couple of finals he has played, he hasn't faced any hiccups in the earlier rounds.
Karatsev did well to snap his losing streak, but his performance was quite up and down. He won 80% of his first serve points, but coughed up eight double faults as well. Such a streaky showing won't cut it against a player of Medvedev's class.
The World No. 1 is the better server of the two, though his serve let him down in the couple of finals he lost. Medvedev lost his temper during the Halle Open final, causing his coach Gilles Cervara to exit the premises in the first set. The Russian must learn to keep his cool in big matches.
Medvedev's weaknesses have been exposed in his two losses. His proficiency at the net remains rather average, as is his ability to deal with low balls and slices. If Karatsev is able to employ those shots effectively, he might just be able to spring a surprise.
After winning the title in Sydney at the start of the season, Karatsev's form has been rather dismal. He'll need to play at an incredibly high level to upset the defending champion. All things considered, Medvedev should be able to emerge unscathed from this encounter.
Pick: Medvedev to win in straight sets.