ATP

Medvedev growing in confidence on grass after Mallorca progress

By Sports Desk June 24, 2021

Daniil Medvedev is set for just the third grass-court semi-final of his ATP Tour career at the Mallorca Championships.

Medvedev, who has reached two hard-court grand slam finals, as well as winning last year's ATP Finals, has never been beyond the last four on grass. He has only done so once on clay.

The Russian will get another chance on Friday, though, against Pablo Carreno Busta.

That is his reward for beating Casper Ruud, who Medvedev acknowledged likely also does not favour the grass season.

"I don't think grass is his best surface, but in the first set he was playing top level and I couldn't get any break points," Medvedev said after beating Ruud 7-5 6-1. 

"But as soon as he started serving a bit worse and making some errors, I tried to use it as fast as I could.

"It was important to win the first set and not in a tie-break, this gives me a boost of confidence."

Carreno Busta defeated Jordan Thompson in straight sets but was not followed into the semis by either of the other Spaniards in action.

Third seed Roberto Bautista Agut was toppled by Sam Querrey, as Feliciano Lopez lost to Adrian Mannarino.

At the Viking International in Eastbourne, there is an Australian in each semi-final after wins for Alex de Minaur and Max Purcell.

De Minaur wore down Vasek Pospisil 6-4 6-4 and now faces Kwon Soon-woo, who was similarly comfortable against Ilya Ivashka.

Purcell battled past Andreas Seppi, recovering from a tough second set in which he succumbed 6-1, but must now face another Italian.

Third seed Lorenzo Sonego secured his semis spot by blasting past Alexander Bublik 6-1 7-5.

Related items

  • WTA Finals: Swiatek battles from the brink to make winning start WTA Finals: Swiatek battles from the brink to make winning start

    Iga Swiatek began her bid to regain the world number one ranking by recovering from a set and double break down to beat Barbora Krejcikova in her first match at the WTA Finals.

    Swiatek, playing in her first competitive game since her US Open quarter-final exit, emerged a 4-6 7-5 6-2 victor against the Wimbledon champion in Riyadh. 

    The Pole is the third player in the last 30 years to achieve three or more seasons in a row with over 60 wins, after Martina Hingis (1997-2001) and Caroline Wozniacki (2009-2011).

    Only Elina Svitolina (12) has played fewer matches at the WTA Finals than Swiatek (13) to achieve 10 wins at this event since the reintroduction of the Round Robin format in 2003.

    But the Pole acknowledged the difficulties she faced against Krejcikova, saying she must improve if she is to retain her WTA Finals crown.

    “Even though I played a lot of those [practice] matches,” Swiatek said afterward. “I kind of forgot for a while how it is to feel all those things, a bit different stress and emotions.

    "For sure, I needed some time to adapt. The most important thing was that even though it happened, I managed to fight through that. And was patient enough to wait to get better.”

    In Sunday's other match, Coco Gauff beat fellow American and doubles partner Jessica Pegula 6-3 6-2 in the second Orange Group match.

    Gauff moved to a win-loss record of 51-16 in 2024, including the Olympics and team events, equalling her career-high from 2023 for WTA-level match wins in a calendar year.

    She is now only the fifth player to claim 20 or more WTA top 10 wins before turning 21, along with Kim Clijsters (45), Maria Sharapova (39), Ana Ivanovic (26) and Wozniacki (23) since 2000.

    "I think maybe I served better than previous times and this is our first time, I think, playing each other on indoor hard, so maybe that had something to do with it," Gauff said.

    "I don't know. I think I know I've lost to her a lot, but it doesn't feel like it sometimes. 

    "Because we do practice a lot, and obviously, when we're playing sometimes I win practice sets, sometimes she does. So it doesn't feel like the head to head is as bad as it was."

  • Zverev soars past Humbert to claim Paris Masters crown Zverev soars past Humbert to claim Paris Masters crown

    Alexander Zverev soared to the Paris Masters title following a commanding 6-2 6-2 victory over home favourite Ugo Humbert in the final.

    The German took just 75 minutes to seal his seventh career ATP Masters triumph, and second silverware of the season.

    Humbert received a raucous reception as he aimed to become the first Frenchman to win this event since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008.

    However, the crowd were silenced when Zverev broke in the third and fifth games on his way to taking the opening set.

    The Italian Open champion also dominated the second set, dropping just five points on serve as he wrapped up a comfortable victory.

    "I knew I had to play like this to win today," Zverev said. "Ugo is an incredible player, but here in Paris, he plays even better than he usually does, and I knew that.

    "Once the crowd gets involved, it's going to be difficult. So, I had to take that away early, and I did, so I'm happy about that."

    Zverev was also delighted to triumph in Paris, and demonstrate the strides he has made since suffering a horrifying ankle injury during his 2022 French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal.

    "It was not 100% guaranteed that I would be back at this level," he added. "So, to win this title here in Paris means the world to me, and I'm sure it means everything to those in my box, because they have done so much for me."

    Data Debrief: Zverev surpasses Medvedev and matches Sinner

    Runner-up to Daniil Medvedev in 2020, Zverev went one better at the Accor Arena four years later, and will be seeded second at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.

    The second German to win this event after Boris Becker, he surpassed Medvedev (six) with his seventh ATP Masters crown the outright most of any player born since the format's inception in 1990.

    Zverev also matched world number one Jannik Sinner for the joint-most match wins in ATP Masters events this season with 28.

  • ‘People will know my game’ – Shnaider beats Boulter in Hong Kong final ‘People will know my game’ – Shnaider beats Boulter in Hong Kong final

    Diana Shnaider knows she will have a target on her back next year after capping her breakout season by beating Katie Boulter in Sunday’s Hong Kong Open final.

    Top seed Shnaider cruised to a 6-1 6-2 victory over second seed Boulter in 72 minutes, claiming her fourth WTA Tour title of the year.

    Only Iga Swiatek (five) and Aryna Sabalenka (four) have matched that number, but the Russian knows being in that company will take away her element of surprise next season.

    "It's nice to be in that company," Shnaider said after her win. "I will definitely push harder to be on the same stage as them, to win more tournaments and at even higher categories. 

    “That's the future. This year I did an amazing job. Next year, everyone will be getting ready, knowing my game, 'Oh she's tough,' stuff like that. 

    “But it's important for me to play against the best in the world. Even if there are a lot of losses, I'll be as positive as possible, just keep building my game, my mentality, my physical strength. 

    “There are a lot of things I can improve and achieve to be, say, a Top 10 player. It's not a rush, I'll have to be patient."

    Shnaider also revealed four was her lucky number, having ended a year that saw her rise from world number 97 to 14 with that number of trophies.

    "Well, I was born second of April and I just love those combinations with two and four. Obviously it’s the season of 2024," she said. "There are crazy circumstances, like the Hua Hin title I won was happening for the fourth year.

    "Then I won Bad Homburg and that was happening for the fourth year. The number just keeps following me. I guess it's like a lucky charm for me."

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.