Daniil Medvedev suffers but passes against Alexander Shevchenko in Madrid

Alexander Shevchenko (96th) only discovered the top 100 at the start of the month, but against Daniil Medvedev, it looked like the “baby face killer” had a lot more bottle. At 22, from qualifying, he did much more than cause problems for the world No. 3, pushing him to his limits.

In the first set, he was even flawless, committing no faults at the net and using the geometry of the court to perfection to develop an always aggressive tennis wisely. On the other side, Medvedev became again this player allergic to clay. Clumsy in his movements, grumbling after the false rebounds, he was reduced to wonders in defense without being able to install his game. Annoyed, he even allowed himself to chamber the public, who returned it well, after the loss of the first set.

And Medvedev is never better than in adversity. Recovered to block, he was able to tighten the game and produce a dazzling acceleration which left on the spot a Shevchenko perhaps intoxicated by the altitude reached by his game in the first set. The return to earth was brutal.

The one-sided scenario of the second set could give rise to fears that the match would end too quickly. It did not happen. Shevchenko regained his efficiency, sent Medvedev into the tarpaulins and ended with a cushioning to break the first (2-0). But Medvedev immediately returned to height. The two men then surrendered blow for blow. Shevchenko was going to save, with courage, three break points before breaking away 4-2. But like earlier in the set, Medvedev picked up the pace. Very clever who could guess the outcome of the meeting. Unless one of the two physically breaks down.

Cramps for Shevchenko at the end of the match

The physio had already intervened at the start of the third set to stop Medvedev’s nosebleed, he was going to come back to take care of Shevchenko’s thighs. Indeed, the youngest of the Russians was cramped at 5-5 and had to concede the break. Despite the medical intervention, he no longer had enough juice to prevent Medvedev from closing the match on his serve.