The National Bank Open in Toronto, Canada, is one of the most exclusive ATP events on the calendar. Through three days, it has lived up to the billing. Day 4 in Toronto features all eight Round of 16 matches, including No. 2 seed Daniil Medvedev taking on budding Italian star Lorenzo Musetti. We at LWOT have the preview and prediction for that match and all other happenings around the grounds of Toronto. But who will advance to the quarterfinals?
ATP Toronto Day 4 Predictions
Milos Raonic vs Mackenzie McDonald
Head-to-Head: Raonic 1-1 McDonald
Former World No. 3 Milos Raonic has made his mark on the ATP Tour this week in his home country. Before Toronto, Raonic had played just four matches in the last two years. This week, he has secured wins over Frances Tiafoe and Taro Daniel and is on the brink of reaching his first quarterfinal since November 2020. He has a tough Round of 16 match against Mackenzie McDonald, who holds an 11-6 record since June. The 28-year-old American is coming off an impressive straight-set victory over No. 6 seed Andrey Rublev. He has the chops to best Raonic from the baseline, but the big serve of the Canadian will be an X-factor. He has hit 52 aces in two matches this week, which will be the difference in this match.
Prediction: Raonic in 3
Taylor Fritz vs Alex de Minaur
Head-to-Head: Fritz 3-4 de Minaur
No. 9 seed Taylor Fritz squares off against Alex de Minaur in a meeting of two familiar foes. Frtiz has won their last three encounters, but all were very tight matches. The big-hitting American comes into this match holding an 8-1 record during this summer’s North American hardcourt swing. That said, he has not beaten a player ranked inside the top 20 in nearly four months. De Minaur comes into this match in equally good form, posting a 6-1 record over the last ten days. His movement is second to none, allowing him to extend rallies and frustrate his opponents. He will look to do that against Fritz, but the American is playing phenomenal first-strike tennis right now. He will be aggressive and push the Aussie around the court, with his serve being the difference.
Prediction: Fritz in 3
Tommy Paul vs Marcos Giron
Head-to-Head: Paul 1-3 Giron
Americans Tommy Paul and Marcos Giron will square off in Toronto with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line. Giron holds the 3-1 advantage over his younger compatriot, but this will be just their second meeting in the last four years. After a blistering start to the season, Paul has cooled off. He is looking for a much-needed strong showing ahead of the season’s final Slam. He is back on his best surface and has looked confident in two wins this week. Giron is coming off the best win of his career, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 over No. 5 seed Holger Rune. It was his second win over a top-ten player (1-15 previously). This match will feature a lot of forehand exchanges from the baseline. In the end, I trust Paul’s consistency off both wings.
Prediction: Paul in 3
Daniil Medvedev vs Lorenzo Musetti
Head-to-Head: first meeting
2021 Canadian Open Champion Daniil Medvedev squares off against No. 16 seed Lorenzo Musetti with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line. This will be the first meeting between the two. The young Italian is amidst the best season of his career and holds a 12-5 record since June. He has shown an ability to adapt on any surface but comes into this match as the clear underdog. Medvedev is 30-3 on hard courts this season. Musetti must come out aggressive, but in the end, the movement and ability to defend, paired with one of the best serves on tour, will lead Medvedev to a straight-set victory.
Prediction: Medvedev in 2
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke – USA TODAY Sports
