Atp Finals, Tsitsipas beats Medvedev and eliminates him

Stefanos Tsitsipas beats Daniil Medvedev and eliminates the Russian from the Nitto ATP Finals. The Greek will play access to the semifinals in the match from inside or outside against Rublev, with Djokovic already sure of qualification. An important verdict. On one side out Nadal, on the other Medvedev. The two finalists in the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open. Tsitsipas wins a very tough game, as expected: 6-3 6-7 7-6. He could have ended it in two sets (three match points in the tie break of the second) but was very close to defeat, with Medvedev serving for the match at 5-4 in the third. The Pala Alpitour audience thanks them: it was a great match.

What a tiebreaker

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The game is dominated by serve. Tsitsipas takes home the first set serving 81% of firsts on the court, unplayable. The Greek is physically fit, he’s reactive, he holds even with his backhand. By serving well, he opens prairies, he often comes to the net to close. Also because Medvedev is very far from the backline, even on the second. The empty pass by the former world number 1 in the first innings of the match – several errors – effectively hands the set to Stefanos. In the second set, the script doesn’t change much: very few points won in return, very short exchanges with the exception of some spectacular points. In the final set Medvedev incites the audience after a great running forehand: it is the prologue of a tie break with infinite emotions. And of the highest quality. Tsitsipas has three match points all in return, the last one is saved by Medvedev with a groundbreaking rebound smash that is very talented and a lot of madness. On the fourth ball to close the set – the first to serve – the Russian gives himself the third set: 13-11 at the tie break.

The third set

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One step away from defeat but still alive, Medvedev. There is no shortage of regrets for Tsitsipas, but the tie break seems like an interlude of adrenaline and continuous upheavals within a regular match: in the third set, in fact, he returns to playing only with the serve. The Turin field is very fast, for those who respond – with this quality at the serve – it becomes very tough. Suddenly, the situation is reversed: break by Medvedev in the seventh game, against break by Tsitsipas with the Russian serving for the match. The score is 5-5, it’s not over yet. To decide set and match is another tie break, in which, however, there is no story: Tsitsipas wins 6-1. The match against Rublev will be inside or outside.