Damien Kayat previews the Paris Masters round of 32 matches between Seb Korda and Marin Cilic as well as Danil Medvedev and Ilya Ivashka.
2021 ATP Tour
Masters 1000 Series
Paris Masters
AccorHotels Arena
Selected Round of 32 Matches- 3rd November
Seb Korda 21/20 | Marin Cilic 73/100
Seb Korda seemed to be on a nonstop upward trajectory leading into the North-American hardcourt circuit. He just seemed primed for an explosive end to this breakthrough campaign. He reached his maiden ATP final at the Delray Beach Open. He then went on to win his maiden ATP title on the clay of the Emilia-Romagna Open, highlighting his skill and versatility. He also reached the 4th round at Wimbledon, showcasing a proclivity for the big occasion. But he has been remarkably subdued in the last three months. I think his huge frame has become understandably worn down as the year has progressed. He has a win-loss record of 4-6 since the end of Wimbledon. One would have thought that he could exploit some of the faster surfaces in this hardcourt swing. But Korda is still a huge talent with an explosive, unpredictable game. His opening-round victory against in-form Aslan Karatsev was just what the doctor ordered (he has now beaten Karatsev in two Masters 1000 matches this year).
This will be the ultimate clash between youth and experience, with 21-year-old Seb Korda taking on 33-year-old Croatian Marin Cilic. Former US Open Champion joined elite company last week when he claimed the St Petersburg title. He became only the 6th active player to have 20 ATP titles to his name. That was his 2nd title of the year after his antics in Stuttgart earlier in the campaign. Cilic has really come to life in the last few weeks, reaching back-to-back finals in Russia. He seriously looked close to retirement for some time there. But his play looks rejuvenated and his movement seems to have improved. He beat the likes of Bautista Agut and Khachanov last week. One could forgive the 33-year-old for feeling slightly jaded coming into this week’s Paris Masters. But Cilic dispatched of the much younger Alejandro Davidovich Fokina with minimum fuss. How long can this late-career renaissance last?
Verdict: Cilic to win in three at 31/1
Korda actually leads the head-to-head with Cilic 1-0. He comfortably beat the Croatian on the Acapulco hardcourts earlier this year. But I think that this reinvigorated Cilic will prove a tricky customer for Korda. He mixes it up much more than Karatsev and won’t let Korda dictate from the baseline.
Danil Medvedev 1/8 | Ilya Ivashka 5/1
It’s been an odd end to the season for World Number 2 Danil Medvedev. He won his 4th Masters 1000 title in Canada, laying the platform for his maiden Grand Slam title victory at Flushing Meadows. After losing in two previous Grand Slam finals, Medvedev firmly established himself as one of the world’s elite players by ending Djokovic’s quest for a calendar Grand Slam. Everything looked primed for an ATP Finals showdown to determine who would end the year as World Number One. But a humiliating defeat to Grigor Dimitrov at Indian Wells put pay to that narrative. Medvedev has the odd self-destructive capitulation in his locker. He will need to avoid that this week if he doesn’t want to drop some serious rankings points (he won this title last year). The faster surfaces in Paris are certainly more conducive to the Russian’s talents.
His opening round match will not be a procession by any means. This has been a breakthrough season for Belarusian (albeit at a slightly lower ebb than Medvedev class). He started the year outside the world’s top 100 but quickly found his footing with a semi-final run in Munich. He then showcased his all-court ability with a 4th round appearance at Wimbledon (this was the first time he made it through to the second week of a Grand Slam). But he really put the cherry on top of the season with his maiden ATP Tour title victory at the Winston-Salem Open. The hard-hitting Belarusian just dispatched of Albert Ramos Vinolas in commanding fashion, hitting 15 winners and winning 82% of his first-serve points.
Verdict: Medvedev to win in three at 29/10
Ivashka actually leads the head-to-head 1-0, beating Medvedev in a Fed Cup singles rubber in 2018. Medvedev actually has various victories over Ivashka at slightly lower levels. But all their matches have been really close. Ivashka’s power allows him to stand toe-to-toe with far more talented players. I think he could pinch a set off the Russian. However, Medvedev should ultimately prevail in this baseline battle.
