Nitto ATP Finals 2020: Dominic Thiem vs Daniil Medvedev final preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (3) Dominic Thiem vs (4) Daniil Medvedev
Date: 22 November 2020
Tournament: Nitto ATP Finals 2020
Round: Final
Venue: London, United Kingdom
Category: ATP Finals
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: $5,700,000
Match timing: Not before 6 pm GMT, 11.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel | India - Sony / Sony Liv
Dominic Thiem vs Daniil Medvedev preview
World No. 3 Dominic Thiem survived an epic battle against Novak Djokovic on Saturday to make his second straight title match at the Nitto ATP Final. He will now take on Daniil Medvedev, who scored his first-ever career win over Rafael Nadal in the other semifinal.
The match between Dominic Thiem and Novak Djokovic lasted almost three hours, with the former winning 7-5, 6-7(10), 7-6(5). Thiem wasted five match points - four of which came in the second set - before he could eventually break through the defences of the World No. 1.
In the third set Djokovic came out all guns blazing, serving and returning at much higher levels. He looked set to knock the 27-year-old when he raced to a 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker. But that is when Thiem unleashed arguably the finest tennis of his career, ripping a series of winners past the best hardcourt defender in the history of the sport.
The Austrian won six of the next seven points - despite Djokovic landing first serves on four of them - to do a repeat of his match against the Serb at last year's ATP Finals.
The second semifinal saw Daniil Medvedev script a remarkable comeback of his own. The Russian was down 6-3, 5-4, with Nadal serving for the match, but he broke back to give himself a new lease of life. In the ensuing tiebreak Medvedev put his missile-like serve to excellent use, and it was anybody's match in the third set.
The two players get into several grueling baseline skirmishes as well as forecourt duels in the final act of the match. Both Nadal and Medvedev had their moments, but it was the latter who drew first blood by breaking the Mallorcan in the seventh game.
After that it was smooth sailing for Medvedev. He broke Nadal once again before closing out the match 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-3.
The World No. 4 enters the final as the only unbeaten player in the event. He has registered four wins on the trot at the tournament - over Diego Schwartzman, Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Taking into account the Paris Masters too, Medvedev is currently on a nine-match winning streak. He has dropped only three sets during this run.
Dominic Thiem vs Daniil Medvedev head-to-head
Dominic Thiem leads Daniil Medvedev 3-1 in the head-to-head. Their most recent encounter took place at the 2020 US Open, with the Austrian winning 6-2, 7-6(7), 7-6(5).
Dominic Thiem vs Daniil Medvedev prediction
In terms of form, Dominic Thiem seems to have no match on tour right now. Even the greats of the game have fallen short to the Austrian’s superman-like power and court coverage in London.
Daniil Medvedev has beaten both Nadal and Djokovic too this week, but his win over the Spaniard was far from clean. The Russian will be hoping to rediscover his form from the group stages and also improve his second serve ahead of the titanic duel against Thiem.
Given the quality and resilience he has showcased so far in the tournament, Thiem seems to be the clear favorite for the final. But the close-to-three hours that he spent toiling against Djokovic could have an impact on the 27-year-old going into the match.
If Medvedev returns as well as he has been all week, he will unquestionably pose a test to Thiem. But that might not be enough to stop the Austrian from winning his maiden ATP Finals title.
Prediction: Dominic Thiem to win in three sets.