Tennis fans are preparing themselves for a treat as former champion Daniil Medvedev is set to meet Alexei Popyrin in a high-stakes third-round showdown at the National Bank Open. Their rivalry dates back several years, with Medvedev holding a clear edge in their head-to-head matchups.
Medvedev arrives in Toronto after a break in Washington, where his quarterfinal match against Corentin Moutet was suspended mid-decider due to lightning, with the Russian leading 5-4 in the third set. Popyrin, the defending champion, won his maiden Masters 1000 title here in 2024 with a remarkable win over Andrey Rublev. He recently defeated wildcard Nicolas Arseneault in straight sets to reach the third round in Toronto.
Match Details
Fixture: Daniil Medvedev vs Alexei Popyrin
Date: Jul. 31, 2025
Tournament: National Bank Open
Round: Round of 32
Venue: Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, Ontario
Category: ATP 1000
Surface: Outdoor hard
Live telecast: Tennis Channel, Fubo, ESPN+, Sky Sports
Daniil Medvedev vs Alexei Popyrin Head-to-Head
Medvedev and Popyrin have faced each other five times on the professional circuit, with Medvedev leading 4-1 overall. Their most recent meeting came in the third round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, where Medvedev won 6–4, 6–1 in one hour and 26 minutes. The Russian has won their past four encounters, including two on hard courts.
Daniil Medvedev vs Alexei Popyrin Prediction
Medvedev has a solid 12-6 record on outdoor hard courts in 2025 and continues to rely on his deep return position, consistency, and counterpunching. He averages about eight aces and under three double faults per match, with strong break-point conversion and return stats. While he hasn’t won a title this year, he’s made deep runs in crucial events like Indian Wells and remains dangerous on North American hard courts.
Meddy moves on 💪
Daniil Medvedev starts his run in Toronto with a 7-6 6-4 victory over Dalibor Svrcina 🙌#NBO25 pic.twitter.com/5hAfKDXRtg
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 30, 2025
Popyrin, on the other hand, has struggled this season with a 3–7 hard-court record. He serves well by averaging 8.6 aces and around 2.5 double faults per match. But his baseline consistency and rally tolerance lag behind top-tier players. His aggressive game is effective when he’s landing first serves and shortening points, but he hasn’t sustained that level in recent tournaments. Medvedev’s defensive skill set typically exposes those gaps.
Medvedev’s track record, return ability, and tactical discipline give him the edge. Popyrin could grab a set behind strong serving, but Medvedev’s ability to adjust and wear opponents down over time points to a likely win in three sets.
Prediction: Medvedev to win in three sets
