US Open 2020: Daniil Medvedev vs Andrey Rublev preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: Daniil Medvedev vs Andrey Rublev
Date: 9 September 2020
Tournament: US Open 2020
Round: Quarterfinals
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $39,024,000
Match timing: 2 pm EDT, 11.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Disney + Hotstar VIP
Daniil Medvedev vs Andrey Rublev preview
2019 USO runner-up Daniil Medvedev will have his eyes set on bettering his last year's result, as he takes on fellow countryman Andrey Rublev for a place in the semifinals of the US Open.
Medvedev will be coming into this match as the fresher player of the two; the Russian has spent less than eight hours on the court so far. The most impressive performance in Medvedev's blitz to the quarterfinals was the straight-sets victory over Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round.
The World No. 5 was in his element against the American, winning a humongous 73% of his 2nd return points and even inflicting a bagel in the third set.
But by his own admission, Medvedev has not been tested at Flushing Meadows fully yet. While he has done well on serve and has returned with poise, the quality of his opponents has been a little lacking.
The Russian hasn't faced a single top 60 opponent at the Open so far, so it is not a surprise that he has coasted through the first week.
His good friend Andrey Rublev had similarly smooth sailing in his first three matches, storming into the second week without dropping a set. In his fourth round showdown with last year's semifinalist Matteo Berrettini, the World No. 14 exacted some good old-fashioned revenge for his 2019 defeat to the Italian at the same stage.
Berrettini initially had the Russian befuddled with his tricky backhand slice. But after losing the first set, Rublev started getting under the ball remarkably well and eventually cruised to a four-set win.
The 22-year-old had kicked off the season by romping to a 15-match winning streak. A five-month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic followed, but Rublev practiced tirelessly during the tour suspension and has come out of it as a much improved player.
Daniil Medvedev vs Andrey Rublev head-to-head
Daniil Medvedev leads Andrey Rublev by a margin of 2-0 in the head-to-head. Their most recent encounter was in the quarterfinals of St. Petersburg 2019, which Medvedev won in two tight sets.
The pair also faced off at the 2019 Cincinnati Masters, where Medvedev again came out on top on the way to winning his maiden Masters 1000 title.
Daniil Medvedev vs Andrey Rublev predict
At this year's US Open, Daniil Medvedev has been sitting deeper in the court than usual to deal with the extra pace of the surface. While the Russian hasn't yet shown the all-court prowess that helped him take 2019 USO champ Rafael Nadal to five sets last year, he has certainly defended with aplomb.
The World No. 5 has been impenetrable from the baseline, not allowing his opponents to take the upper hand in the rallies.
In contrast, Andrey Rublev has hit a big ball off both wings throughout the tournament. But that is the norm for the 22-year-old; what has been even more impressive is his newfound focus and patience.
While Rublev comes into the match as an underdog on paper, he will likely be Medvedev's biggest test at Flushing Meadows yet. The older Russian will have to make regular inroads on Rublev's serve, or else he might find himself being given the runaround by his aggressive opponent.
Prediction: Daniil Medvedev to win in five sets.