Different memories.

Royer made a final in Hangzhou last year and Medvedev suffered an incredible comeback against Wu.

The year has been tough for Medvedev, who will also have to chase away the demons from last season and not panic if he’s in front and starts squandering his lead. We’re not there yet, but I have to say that in recent weeks, Medvedev has disappointed again, especially at the US Open, where he was heavily beaten by Tiafoe, who controlled him without even being that exceptional. We’re seeing a much more erratic Medvedev, doing a bit of anything on serve and at the end of sets. In the end, he leaves the US Open with three wins, but only against Gaston, Gorzny, and Rinderknech. Nothing particularly impressive, and the Russian is really going to have to dig deep on this Asian swing.

Royer hasn’t been outstanding this season either, but this tournament seems special to him, given how monstrous he was in his first-round match. Huge serving quality, powerful acceleration from the baseline, and good match management. It’s often said that some tournaments are special for certain players, and this one clearly is for Royer; he also says Hangzhou is one of his favorite cities. I believe in that kind of thing and I think Royer is going to have another very good tournament. Sure, he could have had a better draw than the number one seed in the bracket, but Medvedev is not in good form and Royer could very well take advantage of that.

For a first meeting, our Frenchman will have to adapt and adjust his game. I think a few years ago, you really wouldn’t have given him much of a chance in this match-up because he attacks with little variation. Medvedev used to be a master at disrupting this type of player, which no longer seems to be the case. The Russian is making too many errors and giving away a lot more points. Royer would be well advised to try finishing at the net and taking time away from Medvedev. He knows how to do it, and in the current context, given Danil’s level has been dipping for months now, he’s no longer as dominant in this type of match-up. Maybe he can still pull out a brilliant, near-perfect match, but the trend is absolutely not pointing that way—quite the opposite.