It’s quarterfinal day at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome. We’re looking to predict the bottom half of the draw’s match-ups between clay-court loving Daniil Medvedev versus qualifier Yannick Hanfmann and Cincinnati Masters champion Borna Coric versus fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.
ATP Rome Quarterfinal Predictions
Daniil Medvedev vs Yannick Hanfmann
Head-to-head: First meeting
Yannick Hanfmann was due a big result. He’d gone 17-8 on clay before Rome this year, taking out established clay-courters like Musetti, Paul, Varillas and Carballes Baena in that time. He’s got a such a powerful one-two punch, it’s a surprise he hadn’t put together this many big matches in a row previously–Rublev, Fritz, Cecchinato, and Jarry have all fallen at his hands in the Italian capital.
Daniil Medvedev isn’t the seed Hanfmann wants to be playing in the quarterfinals, however. The German isn’t a typical clay-court strategist, relying on a heavy first serve delivery to get him cheap and easy points. The reason Medvedev wins so often is his ability to neutralize the first serve with his deep return position where other players cannot. Hanfmann won’t be able to impose himself as he has done all fortnight–Medvedev should be able to spin his web through to the semifinals.
Prediction: Medvedev in 2
Borna Coric vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Head-to-head: Coric 3-2 Tsitsipas
Borna Coric’s matches against Stefanos Tsitsipas are always fascinating. Very few players expose the Tsitsipas backhand like Coric on a hard court, regularly winning the cross-court duel and taking the backhand down the line at will.
Tsitsipas did win their last meeting at the United Cup, however, where he showed exceptional backhand resilience and excellent tactical change ups to scrap his way passed the Croat. He definitely has a broader playbook on how to play Coric than he did in the past.
Bottom line, even if Coric keeps the longer rallies in his favor, on a clay court, Tsitsipas’s serve and forehand combo tend to reign supreme against most opponents. Coric falls into that category, his own serve and forehand lacking the same bite as the Greek’s. The percentages should fall Tsitsipas’s way, even if Coric makes things awkward for a set.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
