Daniil Medvedev will look to salvage his season in Shanghai as he faces an in-form Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Monday. Round-three action will also feature the all-Italian showdown of Lorenzo Musetti and Luciano Darderi.
(16) Daniil Medvedev vs. (18) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
For the second tournament in a row, Daniil Medvedev and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will square off. The two men met in the round of 16 in Beijing just last week and Medvedev won that match in easy straight sets. While Medvedev reached the semifinals, the tournament was not without what has become customary controversy for him. In his semifinal match against Learner Tien, the world No. 18 started cramping (and playing poorly as a result). Chair umpire Adel Nour issued a “best efforts” code violation, which resulted in the kind of heated exchange for which Medvedev is known.
The ATP later reviewed the situation and reversed Nour’s decision, saying an error had been made. The issues seemed to stem from fatigue and not actual injury, so it should not impact his performance in Shanghai. The Russian is playing better tennis now than he has most of the season. Given his bump in form and his 5-1 record over Davidovich Fokina, look for Medvedev to advance.
Cheryl pick: Medvedev in 3
Ricky pick: Medvedev in 3
(8) Lorenzo Musetti vs. (26) Luciano Darderi
Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti also had an eventful Beijing tournament last week. The world No. 9 angered the crowd when he audibly complained, “These damn Chinese, they’re always coughing” during his first-round marathon match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Musetti later apologized for offending, but he was later booed off the court in the quarterfinals when he was forced to retire with a thigh injury against eventual finalist Learner Tien.
Musetti’s third-round opponent, Luciano Darderi does his best work on clay–and it’s not close. He is 21-8 on the dirt this year but has losing records on hard (5-10) and grass (2-4). Darderi pushed Musetti last year at Wimbledon in their only other tour-level meeting but still lost in a five-set heartbreaker. The No. 8 seed is the more consistent player and has better weapons for hard-court tennis.
The Beijing and Chinese crowd controversy may be distracting for Musetti as the tournament progresses, but it’s unlikely that Darderi will have enough in the arsenal to get the upset win on Monday.
Cheryl pick: Musetti in 2
Ricky pick: Musetti in 2
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