Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev are set to face off for the very first time on a clay court in the semifinals of the Italian Open.
The two stars, who last clashed in the Indian Wells Open final earlier this year, have met 16 times on the ATP Tour, but never on the dirt.
Sinner leads 9-7 in their head-to-head and is currently on a four-match winning streak against the Russian.
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Medvedev‘s last victory in their rivalry came at the Wimbledon championships back in 2024, where he came out on top in a five-set thriller.
But the conditions in Rome are the polar opposite of the grass courts at the All England Club, and tennis legend Jim Courier thinks the former US Open champion will need to be more aggressive this time around.
Jim Courier previews Daniil Medvedev’s clash with Jannik Sinner
Speaking on Tennis Channel, Courier said of Medvedev: “Well, he rushed Sinner at the Australian Open a few years back in the final, really out of necessity.
“It wasn’t because maybe he thought it was the best tactic. It was because he was dead. He’d played so many five-set matches that he didn’t have the legs to play his normal defensive positioning.
“So he came in, returned serve very close in and was hyper aggressive. Sinner figured it out and won his first major, and he’s hardly looked back since, so I’m looking for aggression from Medvedev.
“He’s been trying to do a little bit more of that this season anyway. So I’m looking for more of that with his new team in place.
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“I think that’s what they’ll suggest, but it’s nighttime. It’s tough to get the ball through, and Sinner has so much more control of his topspin shots because Medvedev is so flat.
“Sinner hits so much topspin on the forehand and the backhand, and he can rip anytime he wants with a lot of safety.
“Medvedev cannot. He has got to play such a high-risk game to make this even competitive in their very first meeting on clay.”
Tracy Austin predicts Jannik Sinner to win in straight sets
Responding to Courier, former world number one Tracy Austin said: “They played on grass, and that’s the last time Medvedev won.
“And that was when Sinner wasn’t quite as comfortable on that surface, and Medvedev hits so low, it was effective. I just think it’s gonna be a real uphill battle, Sinner in straights.”
Courier replied: “Yeah, and I love Medvedev. I’m in the bag for Medvedev. He’s the most fun person to talk to on the court at the Australian Open for me.
“He’s incredible, but I don’t think this is a good matchup for him right now.”
Sinner is in pursuit of claiming a sixth consecutive ATP Masters 1000 title, having not lost at the premium level since the start of his 2025 Paris campaign.
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