Daniil Medvedev improved to 5-0 lifetime against Stefanos Tsitsipas with a 7-6(5), 7-5 victory at the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Saturday. One day later it is Medvedev who is staring a massive head-to-head deficit in the face.
The fourth-ranked Russian will battle Alexander Zverev for the Shanghai title on Sunday afternoon, with the latter having taken all four of their previous encounters. Zverev won straight-setters in 2016 (St. Petersburg), 2017 (Washington, D.C.), and 2018 (Montreal) while also prevailing 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(5) at last year’s Miami Masters.
Of course, Medvedev is a totally different player now. The 23-year-old is the wins leader on tour in 2019, with an amazing 58-17 overall record and a 28-3 mark during a current hot stretch that features six consecutive final appearances. Medvedev, the U.S. Open runner-up and champion in Cincinnati and St. Petersburg, has remained red hot with straight-set Shanghai defeats of Cameron Norrie, Vasek Pospisil, Fabio Fognini, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“Making six [finals] in a row–including three Masters 1000s and one Grand Slam–is something I could never dream of, to be honest,” Medvedev noted. “But I want to keep the momentum going and hope I can make it to seven or eight.”
Zverev has been nowhere near as consistent this season, but he is in prime position to join Medvedev at the Nitto ATP Finals thanks to a sudden and much-needed hot streak. The 22-year-old German followed up Laver Cup heroics with a semifinal showing in Beijing and so far this week he has ousted Jeremy Chardy, Andrey Rublev, Roger Federer, and Matteo Berrettini.
“We’ve played some fantastic matches, all going my way until now,” Zverev said of his lopsided rivalry with Medvedev. “I hope tomorrow that will not change. But he’s been playing some fantastic tennis, sixth final in a row, U.S. Open finalist, won Cincinnati…. He’s probably the best player in the world right now. I hope it’s just going to be a good match.”
Although Zverev may be wrong about Medvedev being the absolute best player in the world, his hopes for a good match should pan out. The former world No. 3 and current world No. 6 has been serving incredibly well over the past two weeks, which is why he will be competitive on Sunday. But Medvedev is basically in video-game mode right now and his mental toughness in pressure situations has also been incredible since the start of the summer.
Pick: Medvedev in 3
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Should be a cracking match. At their best, both are the best of the young brigade. I think Zverev represents a tougher match up for Medvedev than the others due to his consistency from the back of the court, variable shot speed, tenacity and he has the DHB also so he’s not without a chance.
Medvedev in 3
Heart says Zverev, head says Medvedev. (Not crazy about either but I’d like to see Zverev make the YEC’s. I guess. Would really like to see RBA make it. But it’s tennis, you don’t always get what you want! And come to think of it I’ve gotten quite a lot of what I really wanted this year!)
Med in three (gut says two, but respect for how well Zvewrev is playing now , and the h2h)
I dont think Medvedev has lost a set after USO final fifth set. He is on a roll. Reminds me of Delpo’s streak on US hard courts.
Just shows how good Rafa was in the USO finals !
Agreed. I felt the same way too about how good Rafa was, at both Canada and USO.
Both Tsitsipas and Sasha mentioned that it’s difficult to play against Medvedev because he plays an unorthodox style, hitting his shots very flat compared to the other players, making it very difficult for them to handle his shots.
I suppose Rafa would also feel the same way too, but Rafa has the experience and his own unorthodox style too (with topspin and varieties) and so he’s still able to handle Medvedev. I think Fed with his first strike tennis plus varieties would also be able to handle Medvedev.
Medvedev plays like Djoko from the baseline but hits even flatter and with more power; his serve is huge and he’s able to mix in some varieties himself hence he’s tougher for Djoko to handle. He reminds me a bit of Simon, who also hits relatively flat shots and could rally the whole day from the baseline. Simon caused plenty of problems to first Fed, and then to Djoko. Rafa and Murray could handle him slightly better, but Simon doesn’t have the power of Medvedev.
Medvedev will soon be a force to be reckoned with at the slams.
medevedev will win in three sets with one tiebreak
Ah Zverev, these dfs shall be the death of you! Just gifted the first set like that!
Medvedev was just ruthless!!! He is like a brick wall indeed, lol!! Sascha had no answers!!
What a squib of a final. Who can stop Medvedev now .I doubt the big 3 too can. His own body n fatigue can stop him now. Medvedev has just hit a purple patch now
Medvedev crosses roger in the race to London. He is no 3. There will be 2 fights now .between Rafa n Novak for no 1 and between roger and Medvedev for no 3
Well done Medvedev, he really doesn’t know how to lose these days, except to Rafa!
Both Medvedev and Sasha look so young! Medvedev really has a baby face, and Sasha looks so handsome, they, together with the beautiful Tsitsipas will form some rivalries in the years to come.
Congrats to Medvedev, winning two Masters this season, very much like Sasha did in 2017. With this win, he has overtaken Fed in the race, at no. 3 now.
I’ve always thought Sasha’s two 2017 Masters’ wins were a bit over rated. Thiem did the heavy lifting in Rome by taking a tired Rafa out then going down to Zverev.
But, barring injury to Medvedev, looks like he’s going to be what we get for awhile. Seems Djokovic is no longer the unstoppable force, Federer is beginning to look his age, Rafa’s fitness is always in question although when healthy he’s still very ummm competitive, that’s the word!…Andy, come back! Would love to see a healthy Andy play Medvedev.
I think a TOP form Murray, with his good tennis brain will make it competitive against Medvedev, using his guile and craftiness to make things difficult for Medvedev,
I always think that Medvedev is a hybrid of Djoko and Murray, very good from the baseline but could vary the pace of his shots like Murray; both being very crafty and I’m sure a Murray vs Medvedev match should be very interesting.
you think Murray has the best chance?
(other than Nadal, obviously)
Rafa, Fed, Murray and Djoko in that order.
Is Medvedev actually going to play Moscow this week?? Maybe he really IS a robot. Either he’s wildly patriotic or they’re throwing buckets of appearance money at him.
Well, he sure wouldn’t have to but he could be too young to think about skipping. He wins tournaments of all stripe so easily.
I’d go with the money as a motivator. If he plays Vienna as scheduled, that should be more support to the money motivator theory. And, the draw will be so easy for him.
Such a cool guy Medvedev. I can’t dislike him. My favourite player among the youngsters so far. Also like Thiem, Tsitsi, Zverev but not sure if any of them can dominate men’s tennis in the futur. They will probably bite the pie a few times only.
They’ll probably each wins a few but maybe not more than ten. We are not going to see a repeat of the big three era for a long long time.
We can only guess who among these youngsters will win the most slams. So far, none of them looks like a big three guy in the making.
I can’t help but compare them to Rafa and Djoko’s generation, where we have Murray and Stan (3 slams each), Delpo and Cilic (1 slam each) and we have regular TOP ten players like Berdych, Tsonga (I don’t include Ferrer as I think he belongs to Fed’s generation).
Will these youngsters be as good as these TOP ten players outside of the big three, or even better? Berdych and to a certain extent Tsonga, had the bad luck of playing during the big three era, they could reach the QF or SF of slams regularly, but always failed to get past those stages, stopped by the big three.
“Only ten” (slams)! The Big Three have left their mark on our consciousness, haven’t they? Plenty of “legends” have far fewer than ten slams.
Well done to the bracketeers who had Med winning 😎
Will he play Moscow,though?
probably. 3 days off and then plays some unknown person in the second round.
Yes, well done, Big Al. But who pick against him at this point.
Sorry I have been ghosting the Asian Swing brackets. I’m back now.
I’d say Med’s only challenge is Rafa. But I’d pick Medvedev to win the ATP Final, probably Paris too.
I know, but Djoko was in such form going into Shanghai its hard to pick against him either.
The brackets have been a bit quiet without you.Now we’re down to the last WTA ones of 2019 ,quite sad really.
Med will be dangerous at the AO, i think personally he will go very deep ….
Hi Elizabeth 🙂 ….
Hes becoming one of my new favorites, and Tsissy too ….
I like his game,big flat hitting with deception . I love Tsitsis as well, esp when he serve volleys. Really enjoyed their match.
Who knows there might be some other young guy in the making who makes his debut soon and take over from all those next gens who we have been waiting for oh so long to make a big splash!! Tennis can be so so unpredictable!
Not likely, if there is, we would’ve heard about him by now, like Rafa when he’s 15/16.
Maybe. Had we heard of Berrettini or Medvedev last year?
Medvedev definitely. Berrettini no.
well maybe they are about to make their debut at 15…..
I had never heard of Rafa until i saw him play at the FO in 2005, his debut there! At that time i had stopped watching tennis bcos i was so fed up of Roger winning everything, lol!!
I certainly had not heard of Medvedev and Berrittini before Canada and the US Open respectively!!
Berrettini won a tournament last year,on clay. Gstaad I think.
Plus he played really well on grass this year .
We would have heard of Rafa if we’d been paying attention but back then I didn’t even know it was possible to pay real attention to tennis. When I did see a match it was always Federer beating up on a hapless opponent in a final and I’d get bored after half an hour.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Exactly Ramara!!!
But now when Rafa is beating up on a hapless opponent, Im all smiles, lol!!!Sigh, the irony!
But players mature much later these days.Theres a long list of teenage sensations that never made it, men and women.
Meddy Bear might just be my new fav post Rafa. I like just about everything about him, so talented and smart, with good sportsmanship and personality.
Unless fellow Canuck FAA becomes a serious slam contender (which he has the potential to do in the not so distant future).
Medvedev is given to racquet smashing though. He’s got a temper. Just hasn’t been provoked that much lately. It’s easy to be nice when you’re winning.
Hi Ramara!
When’s the last time he did that? Could be a maturity thing? Haven’t seen him show much lack of sportsmanship in the few losses he’s had including when he was losing the first two sets to Rafa in New York and losing to him in Montreal.
Very few players besides Rafa avoid the occasional racquet smash.
He did it in Shanghai last week, forget which match. But yeah, no biggie by most player standards.
I’ve found no one to “replace” Rafa yet. Maybe his (not so) “small cousins” in a couple of years, lol!
Ramara, yeah me too. I was thinking that currently there is no one that brings me the excitement and joy of tennis like Rafa is able to do, from day one! The shots, the fist pumping, the energy!! Nah, there is no one like Rafa, no one! And there will never be!
When he retires, Ill retire too except for the occasional GS when I will glance a look to see of anyone peaks my interest especially at FO. FO will be pretty nostalgic for me with Rafa gone! I already feel sad just thinking about it, sigh!
For myself I think no one will ever compare to Rafa. He is irreplaceable to me. I have watched tennis all my life, but when Rafa retires, I will go with him. The only other player who gave me the same thrill was Borg. I lost h too soon. But Rafa stayed in the game. Through it all, the injuries and the tough losses. He has always found a way to cone back stronger. There will never be anyone like him again.
I can respect some of these young guys and believe that they have a chance to make their mark in this sport. But I am not impressed enough to keep watching on a regular basis. Something about Medvedev does not sit well with me. I can’t put my finger on it yet. Tsitsipas has the game to make him watchable. Hopefully he keeps his head on straight. It’s nice to see Sasha coming back from his slump after Laver Cup. Thiem has never really done it for me.
A great era will come to an end. We won’t soon see anything like it again. It’s been a privilege to watch Rafa, Fed and Novak. But they will retire and a new era will begin. It will be very different.
I like Medvedev for his quick wit, his intelligence and his unorthodox but intelligent and varied tennis. I had noticed him during 2017, esp during the Milan Next Gen finals. I found his style very interesting back then.
I like Tsitsipas the best for almost everything about him, except he seemed quite big headed earlier on during the year after his AO, but had since came back down to earth.
I find a few of them quite interesting and promising, the two of them plus Sasha, Shapo and FAA. De Minaur is also getting better and better with great fighting spirit.
I think the future of tennis is in good hands, with so many promising youngsters around.