The all-Russian match ends 6-4 6-2: after the fight in the first set, the second is one-sided. The world number 3 can already qualify for the semifinals on Wednesday
Without mercy, Medvedev. Not even the comparisons of his friend (and daughter’s godfather) Rublev: since Andrey beat him last year at the ATP Finals, Daniil has never left him a set. Vengeful, without affection: the all-Russian challenge once again goes to the current number 3 in the world, who beats his compatriot (6-4 6-2) for the third time this year and moves ahead of everyone in the Red Group, unpredictable after Zverev’s victory over Alcaraz. Daniil will now face Sascha: in case of victory in two sets, he will already be sure of the semi-final. While Rublev and Alcaraz will compete without the possibility of making mistakes.
THE FIRST SET
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The match is decided in the first set, which is long and more balanced than the score suggests. Medvedev won it in almost an hour of play, defending not without difficulty the break obtained in the seventh game (after not having completed four chances in the first two games in response) with Rublev too foul with his backhand. From that moment the real fight begins: Andrey suffered counterbreak chances, but Daniil canceled out the first two with as many aces before serving a second at 208 km/h, to which his opponent was unable to respond. Rublev gets nervous, in the next game he shouts at the stands for a disturbance between first and second. And he is filled with regrets: in the tenth game he doesn’t take advantage of another four break points, with Medvedev who in turn has four set points and finally manages to close out the set.
THE SECOND ONE
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The infinite tenth game of the first set and the seven unused break points remain in Rublev’s mind. So much so that the second set started in the worst way for Andrey: immediate break by Daniil, on the fourth chance after the opponent had come back from 0-40. The image of Rublev’s bad evening comes in the fifth game: another break point for Medvedev, the number 5 in the world slips at the moment of playing the volley and Daniil passes, with his friend generously trying to dive. Rublev in despair, sitting on the ground almost in tears, before kicking the net going to the change of ends; Medvedev ahead by two breaks, 4-1. The game, in fact, ends here. Rublev also begins to feel pain in his hand, probably due to the slide at the net. In short: for Andrey it’s not what. A hard-fought set and a one-sided one: Medvedev beats Rublev again, for the seventh time out of nine.
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