Vienna 2022: Daniil Medvedev vs Nikoloz Basilashvili preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Erste Bank Open
Match Details
Fixture: (1) Daniil Medvedev vs Nikoloz Basilashvili
Tournament: Erste Bank Open 2022.
Round: First round (Round of 32).
Venue: Vienna, Austria.
Category: ATP 500.
Surface: Indoor hardcourt.
Prize money: €2,349,180.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | UK - Amazon Prime.
Daniil Medvedev vs Nikoloz Basilashvili preview
Top seed Daniil Medvedev will lock horns with World No. 93 Nikoloz Basilashvili in the opening round of the Vienna Open on Tuesday.
Medvedev got off to a strong start to the season by making it to the Australian Open finals for the second year in a row. He couldn't get past the final hurdle as Rafael Nadal came through a match that lasted five hours and 24 minutes to take home the tile.
The Russian then competed in the Mexican Open, where Nadal again defeated him in a rematch of the Australian Open final. It wasn't all bad news as he managed to replace Novak Djokovic as the World No. 1.
Medvedev struggled to put out strong performances in the Indian Wells and Miami Masters, and later missed the start of the claycourt season while recovering from a hernia operation. The 26-year-old did take part in the French Open, where he lost to Marin Cilic in the fourth round. Despite being fit, he could not compete in the Wimbledon Championships due to the All England Club's ban on players from Russia and Belarus.
The 2021 US Open winner started his North American summer hardcourt season by winning the title at the Los Cabos Open. However, he then faltered at the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Masters, after which he failed to defend his US Open title. He bounced back by reaching the semifinals of the Astana Open, where he was forced to withdraw mid-match due to injury.
Basilashvili, on the other hand, had a miserable start to the year at the Australian Open, where he lost to five-time finalist Andy Murray in the first round. He did not fare better in competitions right after, making quick exits from the Miami Open, Indian Wells Masters, and Dubai Championships.
The Georgian then started his claycourt season at the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he pulled out due to breathing problems and chest trouble. His dismal form did not improve at the Italian Open, where he lost to Denis Shapovalov in the second round, and the Madrid Open, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the second round. In the year's second Grand Slam, the French Open, he failed to move past the second round.
His grasscourt season started with the Boss Open in Stuttgart, where he lost to Nick Kyrgios in the second round. In Halle, he upset the odds by getting the better of last year's finalist Andrey Rublev in the opening round before losing to Oscar Otte. He then faced early eliminations at both the Mallorca Open and the Wimbledon Championships.
The North American hardcourt season brought no change to his fortunes as he made first-round exits at both the Cincinnati Masters and the US Open. He then competed in the Sofia Open and Moselle Open, where he failed to get past the first and second rounds respectively.
Daniil Medvedev vs Nikoloz Basilashvili head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Daniil Medvedev vs Nikoloz Basilashvili odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM.)
Daniil Medvedev vs Nikoloz Basilashvili prediction
Daniil Medvedev, who will enter the competition as the overwhelming favorite, uses many different game strategies across his matches, including serve-and-volley, aggressive baseline play, counterpunching, and pushing.
The Russian's tendency to mix up his tactics frequently causes problems for his opponents. He is adept at unleashing attacks from every conceivable location on the court, which instantly gives him the upper hand in his contests.
Basilashvili, on the other hand, strives to hit the ball as cleanly as possible. He loves to string together a potent series of shots and play the ideal game. Additionally, he has a knack for chasing down every ball, which could be helpful for him going into this match.
Injury troubles aside, Medvedev should be the favorite to advance to the next stage in Vienna.
Pick: Daniil Medvedev to win in straight sets.