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By Ricky Dimon
4 of the highest 5 seeds have superior to the Astana semifinals, making for some blockbuster matchups on Saturday. Novak Djokovic will battle Daniil Medvedev for a spot within the title match, whereas Stefanos Tsitsipas awaits Andrey Rublev.
Listed below are my previews and picks for the 2 matchups.
(4) Novak Djokovic vs. (2) Daniil Medvedev
Djokovic vs. Medvedev is a matchup you’d anticipate to see in a Grand Slam last–or on the earliest within the semifinals. You actually wouldn’t anticipate seeing it within the semis of a 500-point event, however that would be the case on Saturday on the Astana Open. Djokovic is ranked seventh and subsequently seeded fourth on this loaded subject, however he has been taking part in just like the title favourite from begin to end. The 35-year-old Serb dropped solely six complete video games in opposition to Cristian Garin and Botic van de Zandschulp earlier than beating Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-3.
Medvedev is in completely dominant kind, as effectively, so with all due respect to Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev this could most likely be the ultimate. The world No. 4 has destroyed Albert Ramos-Vinolas (6-3, 6-1), Emil Ruusuvuori (6-3, 6-2), and Roberto Bautista Agut (6-1, 6-1). Medvedev has been taking part in spectacular however low-risk tennis, mainly refusing to make unforced errors on this gradual laborious court docket. He must do extra, after all, with Djokovic on the opposite facet of the web. This must be an interesting contest, however search for the 21-time Grand Slam champion to take a 7-4 lead within the head-to-head sequence.
Decide: Djokovic in 3
(5) Andrey Rublev vs. (3) Stefanos Tsitsipas
Tsitsipas and Rublev will probably be squaring off for the eleventh time of their careers on Saturday. The top-to-head sequence is all tied up 5-5 (5-4 for Tsitsipas on the ATP stage), however Rublev leads it 4-2 on laborious courts (3-2 indoors). Tsitsipas’ solely hard-court victories over the Russian have are available in a third-set tiebreaker on the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals and in 5 units on the 2018 NextGen ATP Finals.
Tsitsipas has already locked up a spot in Turin and Rublev seems to be poised to hitch him there, particularly if the world No. 9 continues to rack up wins at this 500-point event. He has quietly compiled a 43-15 document this season, which features a current quarterfinal efficiency on the U.S. Open and Astana victories over Laslo Djere, Zhizhen Zhang, and Adrian Mannarino. Tsitsipas additionally hasn’t surrendered a set this week, though he needed to work laborious in opposition to each Luca Nardi and Hubert Hurkacz. A slight edge goes to Rublev primarily based on his kind, hard-court success in opposition to Tsitsipas, and prowess at ATP 500s.
Decide: Rublev in 3
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and likewise maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You’ll be able to comply with him on twitter at @Dimonator.
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