Standing at 6’6”, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev’s attributes have helped them attain the highest of the sport. The pair crush serves and are good defenders, utilizing their lengthy levers to hold in factors and switch the tables.
When dealing with off, Medvedev and Zverev have had tight clashes on Tour. Zverev received the primary 4 matches of their rivalry, however Medvedev has since responded, successful six of their previous seven encounters to assert a 7-6 benefit of their ATP Head2Head sequence. They may meet once more on Thursday with a quarter-final place on the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on the road.
“We’ve had some robust matches,” Medvedev mentioned forward of their first tour-level assembly on a clay court docket. “We performed for the primary time perhaps seven years in the past on the ATP Tour, and in juniors perhaps 12 years in the past. I keep in mind I beat him as soon as in a remaining on clay in juniors, but it surely’s going to be a distinct story.
“I noticed him within the first two matches [in Monte-Carlo], he gave the impression to be in good condition. I’m simply going to should be at my greatest.”
Forward of their 14th encounter, ATPTour.com appears to be like at 4 of their previous blockbusters.
BNP Paribas Open 2023, Fourth Spherical, Medvedev d. Zverev 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 7-5Medvedev prolonged his successful streak to 17 matches with victory on this Indian Wells odyssey. After dropping a good opening set, the eventual finalist rolled his proper ankle however recovered to edge Zverev in a three-hour, 16-minute thriller.
After saving all 10 break factors towards him within the second set, Medvedev produced a shocking defensive smash within the tie-break and in the end pressured a decider. Zverev denied his first try at serving out the win at 5-4 within the third, however Medvedev made no mistake on his second alternative.
The 27-year-old completed the match with 40 winners and tightened up his baseline recreation to take in Zverev’s energy because the match wore on.
“Once I twisted [my ankle], I assumed I used to be going to face up simply tremendous,” Medvedev mentioned of the dramatic fall. “However then the ache began rising very quick, so I used to be like ‘That’s not an excellent signal.’ I felt like I did not break it however I felt that one of many ligaments was a little bit injured, so I assumed I wasn’t going to have the ability to play.”
Miami Open introduced by Itau 2018, Second Spherical, Zverev d. Medvedev 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(5)Miami was a particular place for Zverev at first of his profession. It was the location of his first ATP Masters 1000 win in 2015 in addition to his first Prime 10 victory on the elite degree in 2017 when he defeated prime seed Stan Wawrinka en path to the quarter-finals.
In 2018, his second-round victory towards Medvedev acted as a springboard for additional success, with the German occurring to succeed in the ultimate (l. to Isner).
Taking a 2-0 ATP Head2Head sequence lead towards Medvedev into the match, Zverev mixed energy with guile. The then-20-year-old fired 25 winners throughout the match and precipitated Medvedev bother together with his backhand slice. He pressured Medvedev low and disrupted his rhythm to attract errors within the third-set tie-break, together with a misfired forehand on match level.
“He is probably the greatest servers on Tour,” Zverev mentioned. “On his serve, something can occur. I used to be simply completely satisfied to take my possibilities within the tie-break and capitalise at 6/5 to win the match.”
Competing for the 2 hundredth time at tour-level, Zverev improved to 126-74 together with his win.
ATP Cup 2021, SF, Medvedev d. Zverev 3-6, 6-3, 7-5In simply the primary week of the 2021 season, Medvedev and Zverev met in Melbourne as they competed on the ATP Cup.
Medvedev had swept apart Diego Schwartzman and Kei Nishikori in his opening two matches of the 12 months, whereas Zverev had downed Denis Shapovalov earlier than he misplaced to Novak Djokovic in three units.
Enjoying beneath the closed roof on Rod Laver Area, Medvedev performed patiently as he overcame a serving onslaught from Zverev by adjusting his return place, standing deeper behind the baseline to rally from a break down within the second set. In a good decider, a double fault from Zverev gave Medvedev the late break at 6-5 and from there he secured victory, keeping off 5 break factors in his remaining service recreation to win.
“When it is towards Sascha and you’re 6-3, 3-2 break down, many occasions you are going to lose a match,” Medvedev mentioned. “However I wanted to maintain my possibilities alive for the workforce to begin with, for the nation. I simply tried to remain there, bought a bit tight perhaps. I simply did my job and I am actually completely satisfied about it.”
Nitto ATP Finals 2021, Spherical Robin, Medvedev d. Zverev 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-6(6)In one of many matches of the 2021 season, Medvedev and Zverev went blow-to-blow for 2 hours and 35 minutes in group play in Turin, earlier than Medvedev as soon as once more got here out on prime to earn his fifth straight win towards the German.
Each got here into the match holding a 1-0 round-robin file after Medvedev downed Hubert Hurkacz, whereas Zverev had led Matteo Berrettini by a set earlier than the Italian was pressured to retire as a result of damage.
The pair, who additionally met within the round-robin stage on the season finale in 2020, struck their groundstrokes fiercely with Medvedev efficiently absorbing the German’s heavy-hitting. In a tense third-set tie-break, Medvedev discovered a deep return on his backhand to maneuver 6/4 forward, however Zverev stepped as much as save each match factors as Medvedev tried to serve and volley. Nevertheless, it solely delayed the end result, with Medvedev sealing victory on his third match level to succeed in the semi-finals.
“Positively one of many matches to recollect,” Medvedev mentioned.
Zverev rapidly gained revenge, nonetheless, snapping a five-match dropping streak to defeat Medvedev 6-4, 6-4 within the championship match 5 days later to clinch his second Nitto ATP Finals crown.
View their ATP H2H sequence right here.
