Mathieu WARNIER, published on Saturday November 21, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.
In difficulty early in the match against Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev was able to turn the situation in his favor to get the best of the Spaniard and validate his ticket for the Masters final.
The final of the 2020 edition of the Masters will be played this Sunday without Novak Djokovic, nor Rafael Nadal! While the Serbian fell against Dominic Thiem, the Mallorcan failed to conclude against Daniil Medvedev and confirms his difficulties during the high mass at the end of the season. However, the world number 2 was able to take this semi-final by the right end. If he had to save three break points in the third game, Rafael Nadal was then more solid on the service and, taking advantage of a game completely missed on the part of the Russian, signed a white break before sealing the fate of the first set on his serve. Touched in his ego, Daniil Medvedev immediately recovered, finally managing to break the “Manacor Bull” from the start of the second round to lead three games to nothing and then four games to one. It was then that the Rafael Nadal steamroller set in motion.
Nadal close to concluding in two sets
Indeed, the native of Manacor raised the tone and set back Daniil Medvedev. The latter, in difficulty, gave up too many points and lost four games consecutively. With five games to four in his favor, after just over an hour of play, Rafael Nadal served for the match. But the Spaniard faltered as he concluded, failing to afford a match point. Instead, it was the Russian who came out of his lethargy and the game was no longer the same. On a shutout, the world number 4 resumed his late serve and took the Spaniard in a decisive game in which he only needed to win two points on his opponent’s serve to pick up a round everywhere in his second set point. Pressure which was accentuated at the start of the last set when Daniil Medvedev offered himself a break point, immediately dismissed by Rafael Nadal.
Medvedev saw Nadal give in
The game then balanced out between the two players until it reached three games across. It was then that Rafael Nadal began to show signs of physical wear and tear. Less precise in his shots, sometimes more predictable as on his cushioning, the Mallorcan opened the door to the final for Daniil Medvedev and the latter did not let the opportunity pass. At the end of a stuck game, the Russian managed to take the service of his opponent then, having won his next face-off without striking a blow, continued to put his pressure on the Spaniard. The latter ended up giving in, the first match point being the correct one for the 4th player in the world (3-6, 7-6, 6-3 in 2h36 ‘). Unbeaten in November, Daniil Medvedev will meet Dominic Thiem for a final which will crown an unprecedented winner for the last Masters in London, he who will seek to succeed Nikolay Davydenko, last Russian winner of the Masters, during the first edition in the British capital . For Rafael Nadal, present for the tenth time for the final of the season, leaves once again without this title which is refused to him.
TENNIS – ATP / MASTERS
At the O2 Arena in London, November 15-22, 2020
Finale
Daniil Medvedev (RUS) – Dominic Thiem (AUT)
Semi-finals
Dominic Thiem (AUT) bat Novak Djokovic (SER): 7-5, 6-7 (10), 7-6 (5)
Daniil Medvedev (RUS) bat Rafael Nadal (ESP) : 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3
