Newly-Minted No. 2 Medvedev Looks To Dispatch No. 7 Bautista-Agut

Let’s find out if Medvedev can live up to his new status as the top seed in Miami or whether Bautista-Agut could get the upset. Before that, let’s take a look at the value-packed 2021 Miami Open WTA Tour odds.

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No. 1 Daniil Medvedev vs. No. 7 Roberto Bautista-Agut

• When: Wednesday, March 31, 2021, at 8:30 PM ET
• ATP Odds
• Daniil Medvedev -350
• Roberto Bautista Agut +290
• Total: 22

Medvedev Looks To Back Up No. 2 World Ranking

Daniil Medvedev is the first ATP World Tour No. 2 not named Federer, Murray, Djokovic, or Nadal since 2005. Now, the 25-year-old Russian will look to back up his new status as the top seed in Miami.

“I don’t like too much talk about big goals in terms of ranking or results,” Medvedev said in a recent phone interview with ESPN. “I feel like, for sure, playing well in Grand Slams is one of my goals, and of course winning one, but I always try to not focus on [future] tournaments, just the one I’m in. So right now is Miami. I’m the [No.] 1 seed; I want to do good here.

Medvedev won his opener in two quick sets, 6-2, 6-2 over Lu Yen-hsun on Friday and narrowly avoided a late mental meltdown to escape Alex Popyrin 7-6, (7), 6-7 (9), 6-4 in his second match on Sunday.

Medvedev looked a lot better in getting past American Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-3 on Tuesday to reach the quarterfinals. Medvedev has gone a stellar 14-2 on the year while winning the title in Marseilles two weeks back.

Dangerous Bautista-Agut Is A Battler

No. 12 in the ATP World Tour rankings, Roberto Bautista-Agut is a battler of the highest degree. The crafty veteran got a walkover win over Lloyd Harris in his opener on Friday before getting past Jan-Lennard Struff in three sets in the round of 32 on Sunday.

Bautista-Agut then took out 6-10 American John Isner in a three-set thriller, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (9) on Tuesday to reach the quarterfinals. The Spaniard saved a match point against Isner to get the win. Bautista-Agut has gone a modest 9-7 on the year and came into Miami this year off a round-of-32 loss against Jannik Sinner in Dubai.

Medvedev To Scratch Out Hard-Fought Win

Daniil Medvedev might be the top seed in Miami, but the Russian has lost two career head-to-head meetings against Roberto Batista-Agut. The 32-year-old Bautista-Agut recorded a 6-3, 6-4 win in Chennai in 2017 and backed that victory up by beating Medvedev again, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the Cincinnati Masters in New York last year.

While the wily veteran has won both career meetings, this time I’m going with Daniil Medvedev to scratch out the hard-fought win in a match that looks like a definite three-setter just waiting to happen.

The Over 22 total games look like a virtual lock from where I’m sitting, making the Total wager the best pick for this pairing. In the end, I like the younger, bigger, and newly-minted World No. 2 for an online sports betting win in three sets.

Pick: Daniil Medvedev in 3 Sets

Pick: Over 22 Games (-105)