ATP Finals: Daniil Medvedev vs Alex de Minaur; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction

Daniil Medvedev is still searching for his first title in the 2024 season! As things stand right now, if Medvedev fails to win the ATP Finals, it this would be the first time since 2017 that he’d end the season without winning a title. He has already lost his first against America’s Taylor Fritz. After facing a disappointing result in the first group stage match, he said, “It’s the first time I want the season to end.” He looked a bit tired after the match. He added that he’d try his best to be better in his next match against Alex de Minaur (AUS), but if that doesn’t work out, “I’ll be happy to be eliminated,” said that Russian. Can Medvedev beat De Minaur in his second group stage match?

Daniil Medvedev vs Alex de Minaur: Preview

Daniil Medvedev had a stellar start to his season! He reached the final of the AO and the Indian Wells Masters, but he faced defeat at the hands of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz (respectively) on both occasions. Medvedev’s season has been a mix of ups and downs. Although he has played quite well in some of the tournaments, he has failed to convert his chances in some vital matches. In his first match at the 2024 ATP Finals, he was defeated by Fritz by 4-6,3-6. Now it’ll be interesting to see if he can bounce back from that disappointing loss with a win against De Minaur.

On the other hand, Alex de Minaur has won two titles this season. His first title triumph came at the Mexican Open where he defeated Casper Ruud by 6-4,6-4 in the final and then the next one came at the s-Hertogenbosch, NL. He has even reached the QF of the Wimbledon and the US Open this year. However, De Minaur is entering this contest after facing defeat at the hands of the world’s number one, Jannik Sinner in his previous match. Sinner defeated Alex de Minaur by 6-3,6-4 in the first group stage match.

Medvedev vs De Minaur: Head-to-Head

Both these tennis stars have met each other quite a few times on the Tour. Currently, Daniil Medvedev leads the H2H with a margin of 3 matches. Can Alex de Minaur pull one back in his favor in the tenth encounter?

• 2024 French Open R16: De Minaur 4-6,6-2,6-1,6-3.
• 2023 Beijing R16: Medvedev 7-6(3),6-3.
• 2023 US Open R16: Medvedev 2-6,6-4,6-1,6-2.
• 2023 ATP Masters 1000 Canada QF: De Minaur 7-6(7),7-5.
• 2023 ATP Masters 1000 Paris R32: De Minaur 6-4,2-6,7-5.
• 2022 ATP Cup Round Robin: Medvedev 6-4,6-2.
• 2020 ATP Masters 1000 Paris R16: Medvedev 5-7,6-2,6-2.
• 2018 Winston-Salem R32: Medvedev 6-3,6-3.
• 2018 Sydney Final: Medvedev 1-6,6-4,7-5.

Prediction: Medvedev to win in three sets

Daniil Medvedev won the ATP Finals title in 2020! So, despite having a bit of off-form, he surely knows a way or two of how to succeed in this tournament. He hasn’t won a title this year, but Medvedev has still managed to keep his spot intact inside the Top 5. Daniil Medvedev is currently ranked 4th in the world, while his opponent Alex de Minaur is ranked 9th on that list. So, far the Russian has managed to secure a win-loss record of 43-19, while the Aussie has recorded 48-18. So, margins are quite close between the two!

This is Alex de Minaur’s first appearance at the ATP Finals. So, considering the experience of Daniil Medvedev in this tournament and his performances on the hard courts, we’re keeping the Russian a little ahead of the ‘Demon’ in this epic contest. Now, if we take a look at their playing styles, De Minaur is an exceptional returner of the ball. He is also known for his pace and agility on the court. Apart from that, his unique ability to retrieve seemingly impossible balls and hit winners from even the defensive positions is what makes him a real threat on the Tour.

He can also inject a sudden pace into his rallies to surprise his opponents, however, his backhand is a bit on the weaker side in comparison to his forehand on the offensive note. On the other hand, Daniil Medvedev is more like a counterpunch with a powerful first serve in his armory. He loves hitting long, flat groundstrokes and often tends to wear down his opponents with lengthy baseline rallies. One of his biggest strengths is his ability to play consistently. Medvedev also has one of the best backhands on the Tour, however, his forehand is comparatively a bit weaker. However, talking about the outcome of this match, we’re expecting a bounce back to winning tracks from Daniil Medvedev in this epic battle!