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Fixture: (3) Daniil Medvedev vs (5) Stefanos Tsitsipas
Date: Saturday, May 20
Tournament: Italian Open 2023
Round: Semifinal
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Category: Masters 1000
Surface: Outdoor clay
Prize money: €7,705,780
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Daniil Medvedev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas preview
Third seed Daniil Medvedev takes on fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a blockbuster semifinal at the Italian Open.
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World No. 3 Medvedev produced one of the finest claycourt performances of his career to end the inspired run of German qualifier Yannik Hanfmann, conceding only two games in each set. In the process, the Russian reached his first Masters 1000 claycourt semifinal since Monte-Carlo 2019, second overall.
In the pair's first meeting, Medvedev countered Hanfmann's power by sitting deep behind the baseline, serving like a dream and hitting winners galore. In the first set, the Russian won an impressive 16 of 20 first-serve points and sent down 14 winners.
It was much of the same story in the second as Medvedev brought up a tour-leading 37th win of the season, with 18 of them coming at Masters 1000 events. Having not won a match in Rome in three previous attempts, the former World No. 1 is now 4-3 at the tournament.
Meanwhile, the fifth-ranked Tsitsipas continued his sublime run through the draw, beating Borna Coric in straight sets for his fourth consecutive straight-set win this fortnight. The Greek was dialled in from the get-go, saving three of four break points to bring up his 27th win of the season, with 13 of them coming on clay.
The 2022 finalist is now 13-5 at the Foro Italico as he evened his head-to-head with Coric at three apiece.
Daniil Medvedev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas head-to-head
Medvedev enjoys a commanding 7-4 head-to-head lead over Tsitsipas. But the Greek has won three of the pair's last four meetings, including their last claycourt meeting in the Roland Garros quarterfinals in 2021.
The two players last clashed in the ATP Finals round-robin stage last year, which Tsitsipas won in a third-set tie-break.
Daniil Medvedev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas odds
(All odds as per BETMGM)
Daniil Medvedev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas prediction
Both Medvedev and Tsitsipas are quintessential baseliners and have pretty similar game styles - serve big, hit powerfully off either flank, and good movement for their height. While Medvedev is one of the sport's best counterpunchers, the Greek flaunts a single-handed backhand that can wreak real damage, especially on clay.
Tsitsipas will have an edge in this meeting due to his superior claycourt pedigree. While the Greek is 90-28 on the surface, winning four titles, Medvedev is 26-25 and has made only one claycourt final (Barcelona 2019).
Both players are playing well this week, with Medvedev dropping one set in four matches and Tsitsipas none. A tight battle should ensue, but Tsitsipas is likely to take this one.
Pick: Tsitsipas in three sets
