Paris Masters 2020: Daniil Medvedev vs Milos Raonic preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (3) Daniil Medvedev vs (10) Milos Raonic
Date: 7 November 2020
Tournament: Rolex Paris Masters 2020
Round: Semifinals
Venue: Paris, France
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Indoor Hardcourt
Prize money: €3,901,015
Match timing: Not before 2 pm local time, 6.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel | India - Sony Six / Sony Liv
Daniil Medvedev vs Milos Raonic preview
No. 3 seed Daniil Medvedev faces former finalist Milos Raonic on Saturday, in the semifinals of the 2020 Rolex Paris Masters.
After a breakthrough season in 2019, Daniil Medvedev hasn't been able to back up his success this year. But the big Russian seems to have rediscovered some form this week; he had no trouble whatsoever in taking apart the red-hot Diego Schwartzman on Friday.
Medvedev was expected to struggle in that quarterfinal, and wasn't the outright favorite going into the contest. But the World No. 5 played a nearly flawless match, dispatching the Argentine for the loss of a mere four games.
Medvedev was solid on his serve; he won an astonishing 93% of his first serve points while maintaining a high first serve rate at 78%. The Russian converted four out of six chances to break Schwartzman, while not facing a single break point on his own serve.
With Friday's win, Medvedev will overtake Roger Federer as the World No. 4 in the new rankings on Monday. He is now looking to make his first final at the Paris Masters, and win the third Masters title of his career.
Milos Raonic meanwhile has made the semifinals of the Paris Masters for a third time in his career. He came through a very tough three-set battle against local favorite Ugo Humbert in the quarters on Friday.
After winning the opening set, Raonic had to dig deep as the Frenchman clawed his way back into the match. At the start of the deciding set Humbert seemed in pole position to emerge as the winner.
In the ensuing tiebreak, Raonic first went 1-5 down and then faced two match points at 4-6. But the Canadian played some brilliant tennis to save them both, before an ace on his second match point ensured that victory was finally his.
Raonic is bidding to make his second final of the year after the Western & Southern Open, where he was one set away from a first Masters title.
Daniil Medvedev vs Milos Raonic head-to-head
The head-to-head between Daniil Medvedev and Milos Raonic currently stands at 2-0 in favor of Medvedev.
The Russian came back from a one-set deficit to register a comeback win in the pair's previous meeting, which was at Brisbane in 2019.
Daniil Medvedev vs Milos Raonic Prediction
Daniil Medvedev relishes playing on hardcourts, and especially plays his best tennis indoors. The controlled conditions help the 1.98m tall Russian add more venom to his giant serve, and also reward his flat strokes more than any other surface.
Medvedev has won three of his seven ATP titles on indoor hardcourts. And if his form against Schwartzman is anything to go by, he's on track to make it four on Sunday.
Despite struggling for the win against Humbert, Milos Raonic's serve was as good as ever. The Canadian had a first serve percentage of 83, winning 79% of his first serve points.
Just like the case with Medvedev, indoor conditions aid Raonic's big-serving and big-hitting game too. However, it remains to be seen if he can hit through the human wall that is the Russian.
Prediction: Daniil Medvedev to win in three sets.