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Match details
Fixture: (3) Daniil Medvedev vs Aslan Karatsev
Date: 12 May 2021
Tournament: Internazionali BNL d'italia 2021
Round: Second round (Round of 32)
Venue: Rome, Italy
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: €2,082,960
Match timing: Approx. 2 pm local time, 5.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Daniil Medvedev vs Aslan Karatsev preview
Daniil Medvedev will look to put his woeful claycourt form behind him when he takes the court at the Italian Open this week. Medvedev has won just one of his last seven matches on the surface.
The Russian was scheduled to start his 2021 claycourt season in Monte Carlo, but had to withdraw from the tournament after returning a positive COVID-19 test. He then navigated a tough three-set encounter against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in his Madrid opener, before bowing out to Cristian Garin in the next round.
The third seed will look to play himself into form in Rome, but faces a tricky opening encounter against his in-form compatriot Aslan Karatsev.
Karatsev is by far the most improved player on the men's tour in 2021. The Russian shocked the tennis world by making a run to the semifinals of the Australian Open, where he lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. He subsequently won his first tour-level title at Dubai, in the process breaking into the top 30 of the world rankings too.
Karatsev started his claycourt season in Monte Carlo, where he lost in the second round. However, the World No. 27 soon made headlines again by beating Novak Djokovic en route to the Belgrade final.
Karatsev comes into his second-round match in Rome on the back of a straight-sets win over Miomir Kecmanovic on Monday.
Daniil Medvedev vs Aslan Karatsev head-to-head
The second-round encounter in Rome will be the first tour-level match between Daniil Medvedev and Aslan Karatsev, so their head-to-head record currently stands at 0-0.
However, the pair has played each other twice at the Challenger level, with Karatsev prevailing on both occasions.
Daniil Medvedev vs Aslan Karatsev prediction
Daniil Medvedev may be ranked higher than his compatriot, but his woeful form on clay means he is not necessarily the favorite in this match.
Medvedev's flat groundstrokes and big serve don't make too big an impact on slower surfaces like the one in Rome, or on clay in general. He also doesn't get too many opportunities to use his defensive prowess, as redirecting pace from the back of the court is a little tougher for him on clay than on hardcourt.
Aslan Karatsev, in stark comparison to his compatriot, comes into this match full of confidence. The 27-year-old has been in terrific form this year and has got plenty of claycourt matches under his belt already.
Karatsev has no qualms playing the role of the aggressor, and his heavy serve and forehand can be a lethal combination against any opponent. The Russian has other weapons in his arsenal too, like his solid court coverage and powerful return.
Medvedev's own foot speed and fighting spirit do make him a threat to every player, even on clay. But given his opponent's form and confidence, the third seed could be in for a tough outing in his Rome opener.
Prediction: Aslan Karatsev to win in three sets.
