Daniil Medvedev will have a chance to become the favorite of the Madrid Open fans by avenging Rafael Nadal’s loss to Jiri Lehecka.
Lehecka made himself a persona non grata in Madrid by beating Rafael Nadal. It was a sturdy match from the Czech player, who is proving to be the real deal with wins like that one.
He’ll take on Medvedev next, and that’s going to be a pretty tricky matchup. The Russian didn’t create many headlines this week, but he’s played some solid tennis so far, winning three matches without too many issues.
The former world no. 1 isn’t the best player on clay, but he’s made tremendous improvements recently, winning the Italian Open in Rome last year. This matchup will be interesting because they have only played once so far, and it was a pretty solid cruise for Medvedev.
Head-to-head:
Neither of them prefers clay to any other court, but Lehecka generally feels more confident on the surface. Medvedev might like the conditions in Madrid more than usual clay events, but Lehecka benefits from them as well.
The Czech player likes to attack and has a great forehand. He also has a capable serve, so this shouldn’t be a walk in the park for him. Medvedev’s advantage is patience in rallies because he has more of it than the youngster. If he can bait his opponent into long rallies, he might find himself ahead.
| Daniil Medvedev | Jiri Lehecka | |
| 1 | H2H | 0 |
| 4 | Rank | 31 |
| 28 | Age | 22 |
| 22-5 | 2024 W/L | 16-8 |
| 355-141 | Career W/L | 63-55 |
Prediction:
Overall, I think Medvedev should be able to win this match comfortably. Lehecka has been really good this week, but the Russian is the better player, and I just trust him to find that necessary level when things get a bit hairy.
Prediction: Daniil Medvedev to win in two sets.
