Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Dubai match.
In the Round of 16 of the ATP Dubai Tournament, we have a match between two players with distinct playing styles—Daniil Medvedev, recognised as one of the best returners on tour, and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, a powerful server. The Frenchman won his previous match through his serve against Zhizhen Zhang, and now he faces a top Russian player who neutralises strong serves.
Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev won the tournament in Dubai in 2023 and reached the semi-finals in 2024. In the opening round, he defeated Jan-Lennard Struff without conceding a break. This season, Medvedev has consistently kept matches short, with six of his last seven matches not exceeding 23 games in total.
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is ranked 29th. He relies on his serve, regularly exceeding 200 km/h, but his return game is less effective. This season, he has averaged 21 aces per match; however, against Zhizhen Zhang he managed only 13. He has limited experience against top-10 opponents—his only such match was against Carlos Alcaraz, in which he lost 0:2 and did not hold serve in either set. His matches have been brief, with his last five encounters not exceeding 25 games in total.
Daniil Medvedev vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard Prediction
We expect Medvedev to require a few games to adjust to his opponent’s serve, but once this adjustment is made, his advantage in rallies will be evident. The match is likely to be brief, and we predict that Medvedev will secure the victory.
