Miami Open 2022: Daniil Medvedev vs Andy Murray preview, head-to-head and prediction
Match Details
Fixture: (1) Daniil Medvedev v (WC) Andy Murray
Date: 26 March 2022.
Tournament: Miami Open.
Round: Second round (Round of 64).
Venue: Miami, Florida, USA.
Category: ATP Masters 1000.
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt.
Prize money: $8,584,055.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Voot.
Daniil Medvedev vs Andy Murray preview
Top seed Daniil Medvedev will take on Andy Murray in the second round of the Miami Open on Saturday.
The Russian made a strong start to 2022 by helping his country reach the semifinals of the ATP Cup. He won three out of four singles matches in the tournament. Medvedev then reached his fourth Grand Slam final at the Australian Open before losing to Rafael Nadal.
The Russian then competed at the Mexican Open as the top seed and reached the semifinals after defeating Benoit Paire, Pablo Andujar and Yoshihito Nishioka. However, he was beaten by Nadal for the second time. Nevertheless, Medvedev managed to reach the top of the ATP rankings after Novak Djokovic was ousted from the Dubai Tennis Championships in the quarterfinals by Jiri Vesely.
Medvedev then competed at the Indian Wells Masters and reached the third round before losing to Gael Monfils. The early loss resulted in him falling back to World No. 2.
Wow.
Gael Monfils beats a world number 1 just for the 2nd time in his career (1st since 2009), defeating Daniil Medvedev 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 to reach the last 16 in Indian Wells vs. Alcaraz.
Djokovic will return to the top of the rankings next Monday, 3 weeks after leaving the spot. https://t.co/fV1dxLi5h6
Murray, meanwhile, started the year with a first-round exit at the Melbourne Summer Set 1. He followed it up with a run to the final at the Sydney International before losing to Aslan Karatsev in straight sets.
The Scot then endured second-round exits in four successive tournaments -- the Australian Open, Doha, Dubai and Indian Wells.
Murray received a wildcard for the Miami Masters and reached the second round after beating Federico Delbonis in straight sets.
@andy_murray
That feeling when you win your first-ever match at @HardRockStadium! 👊 @andy_murray https://t.co/y588FO9JQl
Daniil Medvedev vs Andy Murray head-to-head
Saturday's match in Miami will be the second meeting between Murray and Medvedev, with the Russian leading the head-to-head 1-0. He won their only encounter at the Brisbane International back in 2019. The winner of the match will take on either Cristian Garin or Pedro Martinez in the third round.
Daniil Medvedev vs Andy Murray prediction
Medvedev will be the heavy favorite to win the match but Murray should not be written off considering his experience.
The Russian will be keen to bounce back after a disappointing exit at Indian Wells. Medvedev is a big server and he can always rely on that shot and his steady groundstrokes for points. He is a very good defensive player and his backhand is among the best in the world.
The Scot will also look to make the most of his serve, which will be tested by Medvedev's return game. Murray will have to ensure that he plays aggressively against Medvedev as he is unlikely to be able to break down the Russian from behind the court. With Medvedev's height and tendency to hang back on the court, Murray's excellent slice will have an important role to play in disrupting Medvedev's rhythm and drawing him to the net.
The two-time Miami champion has produced some promising performances this year, but taking on a player of Medvedev's caliber will be a whole different ballgame.
Prediction: Medvedev to win in three sets.