In the final match of the “Masters” Medvedev with a score of 7:5, 7:5 beat the seventh racket in the world, 20-year-old Dane Holger Rune (7).
Until this year, Medvedev could not win a single match in Rome, but now he takes the main prize.
20 titles are now in Daniil Medvedev’s collection. Six of them – in the series of tournaments “Masters”. He became the best Russian player on this indicator.
– Of course, I always try to believe in myself, but I really didn’t believe that I would win the Masters on clay. Because I don’t like this cover, I even hate it, because sometimes nothing works, – said Daniil Medvedev in an interview on the court. – I had a good tournament in Monte Carlo and Madrid, and in Rome, surprisingly, in general I felt very good, starting with training. But we still have to go out and show our best against strong opponents, the best players in the world. I am very happy to prove to myself and everyone else that I can play well on clay.
Overall, Medvedev reached the third final of the Masters series tournaments in 2023. This season, the Russian fought for the title in Indian Wells (USA), where he lost for the second racket in the world to Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaras, and also in Miami, where he beat the Italian for the eighth racket in the world. Yannick Sinner. But both tournaments in the US series were held strongly, where Medvedev feels confident and comfortable. With clay, he has a special history, where love to hate is a serve, but this season he clearly managed to add and adapt his non-standard style of play to a specific surface that affects ball speed and bounce.
Daniel also dances
So, Daniil reached the quarterfinals of the Masters in Monte Carlo in April, where he had just had his first meeting with Rune and lost – 3:6, 4:6. In Madrid, in the fourth round, he was stopped by his compatriot Aslan Karatsev (6: 7, 4: 6). The winning streak in Rome is very worthy: Finn Emil Ruusuvuori – 6:4, 6:2, Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles (31) – 3:6, 6:1, 6:3, Alexander Zverev from Germany (19) – 6 :2, 7:6 (7:3), the German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann – 6:2, 6:2 and another main rival, like Sasha Zverev, the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (5) – 7:5, 7:5.
As we can see, Medvedev finished all the matches, except for the confrontation with the strong Spanish starter, in two sets. Also, in the semifinals against Tsitsipas, who is also good on this surface, Daniil was not knocked down even by a nearly five-hour delay caused by rain. As Medvedev said later, he managed not to get inflamed by trifles. In other words, before Roland Garros, where his best result is the 2021 quarterfinals, the Russian is in excellent physical and psychological condition. The fun victory dance after the match with the Greek is another sign that Medvedev is in a good mood. Everyone remembers how Danya, a fan of the computer game FIFA, performed a “dead fish” after defeating the Serbian Novak Djokovic at the US Open.
Elena was wonderful
The victory in the women’s tournament in Rome was won by a former Muscovite and now a representative of Kazakhstan, Elena Rybakina. Her opponent in her final, Ukrainian Angelina Kalinina, withdrew due to a left leg injury in the second set, with the score 6:4, 1:0 in favor of Rybakina.
After the victory in Rome, Daniil Medvedev will once again become the second racket in the world, displacing the Serbian Novak Djokovic
Now Rybakina will become the fourth racket in the world, which means that, no matter how long the Roland Garros draw ends, she will not meet the first racket in the world, the Polish Iga Sventek, or the second number before the semifinals. in the qualification of the Belarusian Arina Sabolenko. Chances of champion of “Wimbledon” in the next “Slam” increase.
– I am proud to be able to maintain this level. It is not easy, given the schedule, to travel. I think we are getting along well with the team, ”the official WTA website quotes Rybakina. – I see improvements on the court, even physically. I think we are on the right track.
Opinion
Andy Roddick, American tennis player, 2003 US Open champion, former world number one:
– I am a great admirer of Daniil Medvedev and I do not hide my attitude. He has made great progress since last year when he didn’t win a single game before Roland Garros. Now he not only wins matches consistently, he does it with confidence,” Sportskeeda quotes Roddick, citing the Tennis Channel broadcast. -His movements are crazy. He can defend a lot of space on the court and use superior defenders with a height of less than two meters. It’s unreal. And no matter how much punching power you have, you have to deal with the drawback of Daniil Medvedev.
