Daniil Medvedev, aiming for his third consecutive Indian Wells final, faces the red-hot Holger Rune in the semifinals. Medvedev acknowledged Rune’s talent, stating, “He is a top player. Maybe a bit up and down still as he is a young player. But when he is in the quarters or semis, he is playing well.” Rune, having already defeated a Top 10 player, now seeks to overcome the experienced Medvedev. Will Rune’s momentum prevail, or will Medvedev’s experience secure his place in the final?
Daniil Medvedev vs Holger Rune: Preview
Daniil Medvedev will be entering the contest against Rune, following his hard-fought three-set triumph over the Frenchman Arthur Fils. He defeated Fils by 6-4,2-6,7-6(7) in the QF.
Aug 29, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; Daniil Medvedev hits a forehand against Fabian Marozsan (HUN)(not pictured) in a men’s singles match on day four of the 2024 U.S. Open tennis tournament at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
On the other side, Holger Rune will be entering this contest following his 5-7,6-0,6-3 win against the Dutchman, Tallon Griekspoor.
Medvedev vs Rune: Head-to-Head
Daniil Medvedev leads the head-to-head record against Holger Rune by a very fine margin (2-1). Interestingly, their most recent meeting was in this tournament itself.
2024 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells QF: Medvedev 7-5,6-4.
2023 ATP Masters 1000 Rome Final: Medvedev 7-5,7-5.
2023 ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo QF: Rune 6-3,6-4.
Prediction: Medvedev will win this match in a hard-fought three sets
Daniil Medvedev looked in a good mood in his previous match. After a brilliant get on his third match point drew an error from the Frenchman, Medvedev started jumping for joy and threw his arms in the air. It seemed as if he had hit some jackpot. It’ll be interesting to see if he can keep this vibe alive in the next match as well.
If we take a look at the numbers, Medvedev holds a 20-7 record at the hard court tournaments, and guess what? This is his 15th SF appearance at this level, and he’s currently aiming to reach his 11th final. This shows you the vast experience that this guy has at this level!
So, considering all these factors and Medvedev’s (6) impressive 12-6 record vs. Rune’s (13) 10-6, I’m keeping the Russian slightly ahead in this contest. However, Holger Rune has also been very impressive in this tournament, so it won’t surprise me if he manages to drag this match further than just three sets! The longer the match goes, the higher the chances get for the Russian tennis player. How?
Daniil Medvedev is more like a counterpunch with a powerful first serve in his armory. He loves hitting long, flat groundstrokes, and he also often tends to wear down his opponents with lengthy baseline rallies. His biggest strength is his ability to play consistently. Other than that, Medvedev also has one of the best backhands on the Tour. However, his forehands are on the weaker side. As far as his service is concerned, Daniil Medvedev has already fired 118 aces this season. So, these are some of the aspects that give Medvedev an edge on this surface.
On the other side, Holger Rune is more of an all-court player with some impressive defensive skills. The Dane loves using his compact forehand and his consistent backhand to unsettle his opponents during the matches. Rune is a good server, and he also has an aggressive return in his armory. Other than that, nowadays, he has also been spotted surprising his opponents with his between-the-leg shots!
Considering all these weapons, I feel Rune is a strong candidate to put up a fight against someone like Medvedev, but can he hold his level till the end? Looks unlikely to me at the moment!
The post Indian Wells 2025: Daniil Medvedev vs Holger Rune; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction appeared first on EssentiallySports.
