Astana Open 2022: Novak Djokovic vs Daniil Medvedev preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match Details

Fixture: (4) Novak Djokovic vs (2) Daniil Medvedev

Date: October 8, 2022

Tournament: Astana Open 2022

Round: Semifinal

Venue: Astana, Kazakhstan

Category: ATP 500

Surface: Indoor hardcourt

Prize money: $1,900,000

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | Australia - beIN Sports

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Novak Djokovic vs Daniil Medvedev preview

In a battle of former World No. 1s, Novak Djokovic will square off against Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the Astana Open on Saturday.

Djokovic has had an atypical 2022 season. The 21-time Grand Slam champion was prohibited from competing in Australia and North America due to his unvaccinated status. Despite the circumstances, however, he managed to add three titles to his collection with victories at the Italian Open, Wimbledon, and most recently at the Tel Aviv Open. He additionally finished as the runner-up in Belgrade. The Serb has a win-loss record of 31-6 this year.

The World No. 7 has continued his formidable form, entering Astana on the back of a title win in Tel Aviv. In the opening round, Djokovic outsmarted Chilean Cristian Garin with a 6-1, 6-1 victory. The 35-year-old faced Dutch Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round and saw him off with a 6-3, 6-1 win. In the quarterfinals, Djokovic defeated Russian Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-3 to enter the semifinals without dropping a set.

Similarly, Medvedev is yet to drop a set in the Kazakh capital. After a shock loss to Stan Wawrinka in his opening match at the Moselle Open, the Russian put on a series of flawless performances having dismissed Albert Ramos Vinolas 6-3, 6-1 in the opening round, Emil Ruusuvuori 6-3, 6-2 in the second round, and most recently Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the Astana Open.

With the victory, the 26-year-old registered his 40th win of the season against 14 losses. Medvedev’s sole title of 2022 came at the Los Cabos Open in August. He has also registered three runner-up finishes at the Australian Open, Libema Open and Halle Open.

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Novak Djokovic vs Daniil Medvedev head-to-head

Djokovic and Medvedev have previously clashed on ten occasions and the Serb leads in their head-to-head 6-4. Their last encounter came in the 2021 Rolex Paris Masters, where Djokovic got revenge for the US Open final loss that year.

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Novak Djokovic vs Daniil Medvedev odds

Player Name	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games (Over & Under)
Novak Djokovic	-163	-2.5 (-120)	Over 22.5 (-120)
Daniil Medvedev	+130	+2.5 (-120)	Under 22.5 (-120)

(All odds sourced from bet365)

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Novak Djokovic vs Daniil Medvedev prediction

Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev at the 2021 Rolex Paris Masters

The match-up of the Grand Slam champions promises to be a blockbuster, with both players having played impeccable tennis during the week in Kazakhstan.

Djokovic is known to have a consistent style of play. Apart from being one of the greatest returners in tennis history, the Serb also has an admirable serve. He is comfortable hitting winners off of both wings and is a great mover on the court who looks to wear out his opponents with consistent returns.

Similar to the 35-year-old, Medvedev maintains good agility on the court. He is known for his unorthodox playing style. The Russian’s moves are generally hard to predict and he manages to read his opponent’s game quite well too. However, against a player of such caliber as Djokovic, Medvedev will have to make an additional effort to disrupt the momentum and change the speed of rallies to throw his rival off. The Russian will also hope to score some free points, playing big serves against the exceptional returner.

There is no clear favorite in this encounter. The 21-time Major winner’s seven-match winning streak, however, may give him a boost of confidence to cross the finish line and enter his second straight final.

Pick: Djokovic to win in three sets.