By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday November 15, 2023
The 2020 champion is into the semifinals at the Nitto ATP Finals for the third time in five appearances.
Photo Source: TTV
In a battle of former Nitto ATP Finals champions and longtime rivals, Daniil Medvedev edged past Alexander Zverev, playing the big points with more pizazz, and achieving a hard fought 7-6(7), 6-4 victory to ensure his qualification in the semifinals at Turin.
It was a matter of playing better when it mattered most for Medvedev.
The 2020 ATP Finals champion improved to 11-7 lifetime against Zverev as he saved a pair of set points in the opening set tiebreak, then saved a crucial break point while serving at 4-4, 30-40, as he clinched his victory in one hour and 43 minutes.
“I felt like I started very well,” Medvedev said on court after his fifth victory in six matches in 2023 with Zverev. “Hitting good shots, playing well. I felt him a little bit off so I thought ‘Okay, let’s try to go for the double break’ and then he started playing better and returning better, and I for whatever reason started to play worse for two or three games, five or ten minutes.
“I’m happy that I managed to completely regroup. I started playing better and I am happy that I was more [clutch] at the end of both sets.”
2018 and 2021 Nitto ATP Finals champion Zverev was in solid form all afternoon, but squandered his opportunities with little resistance. He missed a forehand into the bottom of the net on his first set point in set one, and failed to threaten on both his break point opportunities.
The 26-year-old World No.7 drops to 54-28 on the season.
On his second set point, with Medvedev serving at 6-7 in the first set tiebreak, Zverev missed a forehand return long.
“By winning the tiebreak the way I won it I put pressure on him,” Medvedev said. “I’m generally happy with my level and looking forward to the semis already.”
The trend continued in set two, as Medvedev pulled through another close set.
With Medvedev serving at 4-4, 30-40, Zverev played passive tennis against Medvedev’s second serve and eventually missed a backhand well wide.
In the final game of the match Medvedev hit a sparkling backhand winner down the line for 30-40 match point and closed the match on the next point as a Zverev forehand sailed long.
Zverev will face Andrey Rublev on Friday in Turin – the German still has a chance to make the semifinals with a 1-1 record.
Medvedev will face Carlos Alcaraz on Friday in a rematch of one of this year’s US Open semifinals. The Russian improves to 67-16 on the season with his victory.