It’s Reilly Opelka in the biggest match of his career thus far, vs world #2 Daniil Medvedev, as two of the tallest players on the ATP Tour will serve it up for the National Bank Open title.
Reilly Opelka vs Daniil Medvedev
ATP Toronto will be the fifth career meeting in this matchup, Medvedev won the match this year at Roland Garros on clay, and has two other hard court wins, Opelka did get an indoor hard court win in a home tournament for Medvedev in St. Petersburg, Russia however, and should have some confidence going into this match. The American Opelka is playing with house money, an underdog all week, he relied on his serve to defeat Nick Kyrgios, Grigor Dimitrov, Lloyd Harris, Roberto Bautista Agut and Stefanos Tsitsipas, with all but the Dimitrov and RBA matches going the distance. Opelka has held up well in the oppressive heat though fatigue could be a factor. This is his third career ATP final, and he’s won the previous two (New York City Open and Delray Beach).
The more accomplished Medvedev continues to hold onto the #2 ranking, this is his fifth final of 2021 alone if you count the ATP Cup, he’s 3-1 in finals this year, with his only loss coming to Novak Djokovic in Melbourne at the Australian Open. Prior to this year he reached five other finals, winning four of five. His only final losses have come in Grand Slams.
After a slight disappointment at the Olympics, Medvedev battled past Alexander Bublik and Hubert Hurkacz most notably to reach the final, with James Duckworth in round 2, and John Isner in the semifinals offering far less resistance, the match against Hurkacz notably went to a third set tiebreak.
Medvedev has proven vulnerable at times this week, but dismantling Isner is a good warm up for facing Opelka, and given his impressive record in ATP finals, the higher ranked player is a deserved favorite to lift this Masters 1000 trophy. Medvedev in 3
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