Medvedev set up Shanghai final with Zverev
Teenage star Gauff reaches maiden WTA final
SHANGHAI: Dominant Daniil Medvedev reached a staggering sixth final in a row but will need to beat Alexander Zverev for the first time to win the Shanghai Masters today. The US Open finalist defeated fellow rising star Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece 7-6 (7/5), 7-5. In the other semi-final yesterday, Germany’s Zverev eased past Matteo Berrettini of Italy 6-3, 6-4 in a showdown between two more budding talents.
With Roger Federer and world number one Novak Djokovic ousted in the quarter-finals on Friday, the next generation of men’s tennis stars has made its mark in China. The 23-year-old Russian Medvedev embellished his fast-growing reputation with a fifth victory in as many matches against Tsitsipas, 21.
In contrast, he is yet to overcome the 22-year-old Zverev in four attempts. “I did say before this year and during this year in the beginning that Sascha (Zverev) was the best in our ‘Next Gen’ group,” the world number four said.
“He won three Masters when none of us were even close to doing this. “Positions have changed a little bit so I think I can contest him right now.” The seventhranked Tsitsipas, who dumped out defending champion Djokovic in three sets on Friday, said that Medvedev’s formidable serve had been the difference.
“Same vibes, same thing all over again,” said Tsitsipas of yet another defeat to the red-hot Russian. “I don’t mean to be rude at all, but it’s just boring. “It’s so boring that I hate myself for putting myself into that kind of situation where I have to play in his own terms and not in my terms.” Sixth-ranked Zverev, long touted as the man most likely to join the “Big Three” of Federer, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, has had a disappointing year, winning only one title.
But the German defeated 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer on Friday and took that momentum into his last-four clash with the 23-year-old Berrettini.
The Italian, 13th in the world, put up a better fight in the second set but was broken in the ninth game as his hopes of an upset faded.
Zverev said the victory over Federer had given him a major confidence boost. But he said that past meetings with Medvedev stood for nothing because the Russian has improved markedly since their last match, in 2018.
“He’s different this year than previous years,” said a wary Zverev. “He’s been playing some unbelievable tennis in the last few months.
“He’s probably the best player in the world, making six finals in a row, winning a Masters (in Cincinnati in August) and making the US Open final. “He’s definitely playing the best tennis of his life.” Nadal, the world number two and winner over Medvedev at Flushing Meadows, is not in Shanghai because of a wrist injury.
Meanwhile, American teenage sensation Coco Gauff reached the first WTA final of her career on Saturday as the 15-year-old beat Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-4 in the last four in Linz. Gauff, who burst onto the scene with a run to the Wimbledon last 16 earlier this year, is the youngest woman to make a WTA final since Nicole Vaidisova won the Tashkent title in 2004.
“This is definitely unreal, my first final on the WTA,” said Gauff, who only got into the main draw in Austria as a lucky loser. “Linz is my special place. “Not even in juniors did I ever get into something as a lucky loser — now I’m in the final. “I’ve had a lot of luck and happiness here.” The current world number 110 is set to climb to at least 80th in the rankings next week. In Sunday’s final, she will face 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko who saved three match points in beating Russian eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.
“This is crazy,” Gauff added after winning in 92 minutes. “I thought I was out in qualifying and now I’m here. “This was one of the highest-level matches I’ve played. Andrea hit a lot of winners and put pressure on me. “I was fighting for every point, even at break points down, I just tried to get the serve in and make her play a point.” This is Gauff’s first WTA tournament since she left the court in tears after a heavy defeat by two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the US Open third round.
Gauff showed plenty of variety in her game as she beat the 75th-ranked Petkovic, relying frequently on well-executed drop shots. —