(Tennis news) 3 in the world Medvedev is in the middle of a strong season; he has won five titles and 49 of his 60 games. The 27-year-old is coming off a run to the fourth round at Cincinnati and a week earlier in the quarter finals at the Canada Open.
Medvedev had a disastrous beginning to the year. The Russian won championships in Rotterdam, Doha, and Dubai after making it to the Adelaide 1 semifinals (where he was defeated by eventual winner Novak Djokovic) and the third round of the Australian Open. However, Carlos Alcaraz broke his winning streak in the Indian Wells championship match.
Before making his first Wimbledon semifinal, the 2021 Flushing Meadows champion won back-to-back matches in Miami and Rome. With a stellar 23-5 record at the US Open, Medvedev has made it to the final in 2019 and the semifinal the following year.
The 101st Balazs lost his soul tour match in 2023 in Barcelona while also losing in the preliminary rounds at two other competitions. Denis Shapovalov withdrew because of a knee ailment, placing the Hungarian in the main draw.
Balazs will play in only his sixth Grand Slam match, his second in the US Open, where he was eliminated in the first round in 2020.
Head-to-Head
The two players have never faced off against one another, hence they have a 0-0 head-to-head record.
Predictions
The similarities between Medvedev and Balazs’ playing strategies stop at their desire to overpower opponents from the baseline.
One of the biggest servers and strongest hitters on the tour, Medvedev moves surprisingly well for someone his size. Balazs, on the other hand, has less powerful weapons.
In addition, the Russian has the advantage because of his superior background, experience, and consistency, particularly in Majors, where he has a 64-24 record while Balazs has a 1-5 record. The winner in 2021 is likely to win easily given the vast difference in their levels of expertise and accomplishment.
Daniil Medvedev to win in 3 sets
