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Match details
Fixture: (1) Daniil Medvedev vs Grigor Dimitrov
Date: 19 August 2021
Tournament: 2021 Western & Southern Open
Round: Third round (Round of 16)
Venue: Cincinnati, Ohio
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $3,028,140
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Daniil Medvedev vs Grigor Dimitrov preview
Top seed Daniil Medvedev will face unseeded Grigor Dimitrov in the third round of the 2021 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati on Thursday.
After his triumphant week in Toronto, Medvedev opened his campaign in Cincinnati with a routine win over American Mackenzie McDonald. The World No. 2 was impeccable from start to finish, barely breaking a sweat in a 6-2 6-2 win.
Medvedev is widely considered one of the top contenders for the US Open title and the biggest threat to Novak Djokovic's bid for a Calendar Slam. The Australian Open runner-up will be hoping to serve notice of his intentions with a statement performance in Cincinnati, where he has already won the title once; in 2019.
Grigor Dimitrov, meanwhile, has enjoyed a resurgence of sorts in Cincinnati after a dreadful year in which he won only 50% of his matches coming into the Masters 1000 eve. The Bulgarian has beaten the likes of Roberto Bautista Agut and Alexander Bublik without dropping a set to reach the Round of 16.
The Bulgarian, like Medvedev, is a former champion in Cincinnati, having won the 2017 edition of the famed Masters 1000 tournament.
Daniil Medvedev vs Grigor Dimitrov head-to-head
Daniil Medvedev lost his first meeting with Grigor Dimitrov at the 2017 Queen's Club Championships in three sets. But the Russian has since managed to turn things around by winning their next two matches. Medvedev thus leads the head-to-head 2-1.
The most recent meeting between the pair came in the semi-finals of the 2019 US Open, where Medvedev beat Dimitrov in straight sets to reach his maiden Grand Slam final.
Daniil Medvedev vs Grigor Dimitrov prediction
Daniil Medvedev is rapidly establishing himself as one of the greats of hardcourt tennis. The 25-year-old has already won four out of the six Masters titles on offer on the surface.
Medvedev's unique blend of a powerful serve and solid baseline game has enabled him to master the surface. His flat groundstrokes and breath-taking court coverage make it almost impossible for an opponent to hit through him on hardcourt.
Dimitrov also plays a rather unusual style of tennis, combining exceptional athleticism with an eye-catching and fluid all-round game. But the Bulgarian's lack of mental toughness has been his undoing throughout his career.
Medvedev will start as the clear favorite on form. Dimitrov could keep things close early on, but expect the Bulgarian to eventually crumble under the relentless pressure applied by the Russian.
Prediction: Daniil Medvedev to win in straight sets
