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Match details
Fixture: (1) Daniil Medvedev vs (Q) Yoshihito Nishioka.
Date: 24 February 2022.
Tournament: Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2022.
Round: Quarterfinal.
Venue: Acapulco, Mexico.
Category: ATP 500.
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt.
Prize money: $1,832,890.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Tennis TV.
Daniil Medvedev vs Yoshihito Nishioka preview
Top seed Daniil Medvedev will square off against qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka in the quarterfinals of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel on Thursday.
Medvedev had no trouble dispatching Pablo Andujar in the second round, winning 6-1, 6-2. The 2021 US Open champion dominated the proceedings from start to finish. He faced a break point early on in the first set, but that was just a minor hiccup which he overcame quite easily.
With this victory, Medvedev moved one step closer to becoming the new World No. 1. He needs to win the title here to ascend to the top of the rankings, regardless of how Novak Djokovic performs in Dubai.
The Serb can retain his hold on the No. 1 position provided Medvedev loses and he advances one round further than the Russian.
Yoshihito Nishioka staged a comeback to upset seventh seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 and advance to his first quarterfinal of the season. His showing in Mexico this week is his best of a tournament in 2022 so far. The Japanese player has also won consecutive matches for the first time this year.
Prior to competing in this tournament, Nishioka had won just one match across four tournaments. With some momentum on his side, he'll look to strike while the iron is still hot.
Daniil Medvedev vs Yoshihito Nishioka head-to-head
This will be the first main draw meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0. However, they did face off against each other in the qualifying rounds of the 2018 Cincinnati Open. Medvedev won that match in three sets.
Daniil Medvedev vs Yoshihito Nishioka prediction
Based on their respective form this year, Medvedev will be the firm favorite to win this contest. Against the World No. 2, who's exceptional on hard courts, Nishioka's got his task cut out for him.
The Japanese's prior record against top 10 players doesn't bode well for his chances either. He has won just two of his 14 matches against them, indicating he's not able to go toe-to-toe with the best players.
Nishioka's main strength lies in his court coverage. He's able to prolong the rallies until he's able to turn the point around in his favor. His lefty serve also comes in handy at times.
However, everything that Nishioka does, Medvedev does even better. There's a remarkable difference between their serves. The World No. 2 is also a good mover and defender and is able to play offensively as well.
Unless Medvedev has a really bad day at the office, everything points to a comfortable win for him.
Prediction: Daniil Medvedev to win in straight sets.
