Daniil Medvedev may be the top seed, but his Miami draw isn’t a great one with Andy Murray on the other side of the net in the second round. Saturday’s schedule also features a showdown between Nikoloz Basilashvili and Jenson Brooksby.
(1) Daniil Medvedev vs. (WC) Andy Murray
Medvedev and Murray will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they battle for a third-round spot at the Miami Open on Saturday. Their only previous meeting came three seasons ago on the hard courts of Brisbane, where Medvedev cruised 7-5, 6-2. Murray “retired” a couple of weeks later, but fast forward three years and he is still out here grinding. The three-time Grand Slam champion has worked his way back inside the top 100 (No. 85) and he has already won 10 matches in 2022–including a 7-6(4), 6-1 victory over Federico Delbonis on Thursday.
Based on results, Medvedev has not recovered from losing the Australian Open final to Rafael Nadal from two sets up. The world No. 2 got blown out by Nadal 6-3, 6-3 in the Acapulco semis and he was upset by Gael Monfils in the Indian Wells third round. The good news for Medvedev is that this is an ideal matchup for him at this point in Murray’s career. It will be nothing more than a baseline battle, complete with grueling rallies–and that plays right into the 26-year-old’s hands.
Pick: Medvedev in 2
(18) Nikoloz Basilashvili vs. Jenson Brooksby
Brooksby was the story of the first round, and not because he beat Federico Coria 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. The 21-year-old American threw his racket in frustration after losing a point in the third set and came dangerously close to hitting a ballboy at the back wall. Brooksby incurred a point penalty, but many–including Coria–called for a default.
Alas, Brooksby lives to play another day and his reward is a second-round contest against Basilashvili. Not unlike the case with Murray against Medvedev, this is a terrible matchup for Basilashvili. Brooksby gets a ton of balls back and often does so with unusual spins and slices that will frustrate his opponent’s one-dimensional power game. The 20th-ranked Georgian could win this when in top form and in extremely fast conditions, but neither of those apply right now.
Pick: Brooksby in 2
WWW?
Brooksby and Meddy