Cincinnati Open 2019 Final: Daniil Medvedev vs David Goffin, preview and prediction

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev’s incredible run in the North American hard court season in the build-up to the US Open continues as he sensationally upset the World No.1 and the defending Cincinnati Open champion Novak Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in their semi-final clash to enter his sixth final of 2019.

In the finals, Medvedev will meet the upbeat Belgian David Goffin, who has stormed into his first ever Masters 1000 final following a 6-3, 6-4 straight sets victory over the Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the first semi-final and is now aiming to win his first title since 2017 when he last triumphed at Tokyo.

Road to the final

Medvedev was dominant in his journey towards the summit clash and did not drop a set before he met Djokovic in the semi-finals. The 23-year old Russian overcame the promising players like Andrey Rublev, Jan-Lennard Struff and recorded his 2nd win over the Serb this year to go alongside his famous victory over the World No.1 at Monte Carlo Masters earlier this year.

This is Medvedev’s third consecutive final after he reached the title clashes at Washington and Montreal in the previous two weeks.

As far as David Goffin is concerned, the upbeat Belgian benefitted after his Japanese opponent Yoshihito Nishioka retired in the quarter-finals due to illness and has dropped just a set en route his journey in his first Masters 1000 level final, second final of the year, to follow up with his title clash at Halle Open little earlier this year.

Head to head record

Goffin and Medvedev have faced each other twice on the tour so far and their duel is tied at one apiece. While the former overcame against the latter on the grass courts of Wimbledon, Medvedev cruised to a straight-sets victory at Melbourne Park at the beginning of this year.

Medvedev’s perspective

In spite of having a remarkable 2019 so far, this year has been a case of so near, yet so far for the 23-year old Russian as he succumbed to agonizing defeats in four out of five title clashes so far this year.

In the previous two weeks, while he played brilliant tennis coming into the finals, the Russian could not overcome the final frontier and would dearly hope to come out as a victor this time around as he approaches his 3rd final in as many weeks.

While he crumbled in a lop-sided final against Rafael Nadal at Montreal on last Sunday, the young Russian would draw a huge level of confidence after his monumental triumph over Djokovic in the semi-finals and certainly starts as a favourite against Goffin to pocket his first ever Masters 1000 title.

Goffin’s perspective

Western & Southern Open - David Goffin

Barring his appearance in the quarter-final and final at Wimbledon and Halle Open respectively, Belgium’s Goffin has been going through a disappointing year so far in 2019 and a place in his first ever Masters 1000 final at Cincinnati is a step in right direction before the US Open gets underway at New York starting next Monday.

Just like in his final at Halle Open in June earlier this year, the Belgian starts as an underdog against Medvedev and would dearly hope to make his opportunity count in the finals at Cincinnati.

Insights

As Medvedev prepares himself to compete in his third consecutive final and fifth final of a hardcourt tournament this year, the Russian would be under tremendous pressure to lay hands on the title following twin losses at Washington and Montreal and would hope to commence his US Open campaign on a sweeter note if he manages to triumph at Cincinnati.

Undoubtedly, this is Goffin’s biggest match after his appearance in the final at Nitto ATP finals, back in 2017, where he lost to Grigor Dimitrov and could not have asked for a better opportunity than this to triumph at the prestigious Masters 1000 level events for the first time ever in his career.

Medvedev has put on a show of scintillating tennis and has an edge over his Belgian opponent as he chases his first Masters 1000 title for the second time in two weeks.

Can Medvedev break the jinx to finally emerge victorious or will Goffin come out on top as an unlikely winner in the upcoming final at Cincinnati Masters 2019?

An exciting, exuberant and fascinating contest is well and truly on the cards as both these players look forward to chase their first ever Masters 1000 title at Cincinnati.

Prediction: Daniil Medvedev to win in straight-sets.