Jiri Lehecka vs Daniil Medvedev Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Cincinnati Open

Prediction published on 14/08/2024, 09:40  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 14/08/2024 at 10:08 in ATP Cincinnati Open Predictions

Daniil Medvedev is the fourth seed in the Cincinnati Masters. He received a bye through to round two and now begins his campaign with a match against unseeded Jiri Lehecka. Who will reach the last 16? Here's our match prediction.

Medvedev is fifth in the live rankings but a place higher in the ATP Race. The Russian is still waiting to win his first title of the year, his last success coming in May 2023. Since then he's reached five finals (two this year) and lost them all.

He's usually a player for the big occasion though. The two finals he's reached this year were both on hard courts in the Australian Open and at Indian Wells. Medvedev has lost his last two matches though, including a loss in his first match in Montreal last week.

This is his first time in Cincinnati since 2019. That was his only appearance here but he clearly wants some match practice before the US Open begins later this month. He's 1-1 with Lehecka but this is their first match on a hard court.

Their last match was in this year's clay court Madrid Masters. Lehecka won that on his way to the semi-finals but he had to withdraw from that match due to back spasms. That was in April and this is his comeback tournament.

He's now 35th in the latest ranking list and up to 32nd in the live rankings. The rise came after his comeback match saw him defeat Mariano Navone in straight sets. The first set went to a tie-break but he only lost three games in the second.

Unlike Medvedev, he has won a tournament this year with success in the Adelaide hard court tournament in January. This is tough though and we tip Medvedev to win in straight sets.