Djokovic in peril after shock defeat to Medvedev
london — World number one Novak Djokovic had enough on his plate already on Wednesday without marauding Russian Daniil Medvedev pummelling him to a shock 6-3 6-3 defeat at the ATP Finals.
Shortly after news broke that Djokovic had been nominated for a return to the ATP player council he had quit in August, he took to court at the O2 Arena hoping to seal his passage into the semifinals of the prestigious year-ender.
Instead his progress out of the Tokyo Group looks tricky, even if not quite as complicated as the politics rumbling on in men’s tennis since he announced in August he was forming a breakaway Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA).
Medvedev’s sensational performance means he is guaranteed top
spot in the group and Djokovic, bidding to match Roger Federer by winning the title for a record-equalling sixth time, must beat 2018 champion Alexander Zverev in his last round-robin match on Friday.
There was little sign of what was to come in a mesmerising opening to the match as Djokovic edged into a 3-2 lead.
But the 24-year- old Medvedev, his flat groundstrokes scorching through the court, found a gear that even indoor master Djokovic could not locate. Pummelling his high-velocity groundstrokes deep into the corners, Medvedev had Djokovic burning rubber and went on a near-perfect seven-game winning streak to leave his bemused opponent puffing out his cheeks.
By the time 17-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic managed to stop the rot he was a set and 3-1 in arrears.
Medvedev was relentless and continued to boss the baseline rallies as he extended his lead to 5-2.
Djokovic held serve to at least ask the question of Medvedev’s nerve but the Russian was ice cool as he closed out victory to make it two wins from two in the group, while handing Djokovic only his fourth defeat of 2020. —