Daniil Medvedev advanced to the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters on Friday, overcoming American Tommy Paul 6:3, 1:6, 6:3 in a match that lasted two hours and eight minutes. With the victory, the fifth-ranked Russian moved closer to securing a berth in the ATP Finals in Turin, lifting his standing in the year-to-date race to sixth place.
Medvedev Battles Past Paul Into the Shanghai Semifinals
Medvedev fired 16 aces and struck 31 winners to notch his 70th career semifinal appearance on the ATP Tour. The opening set saw the former world number one fend off seven break points before converting two of his own to take the lead. Paul responded decisively in the second set, claiming three breaks to level the match before Medvedev regained control in the decider.
The 30-year-old Russian has compiled an 11-1 record during his recent Asian swing, his sole blemish coming via a disqualification against Novak Djokovic at the ATP-500 tournament in Beijing due to hitting a ball into the crowd. Medvedev’s head-to-head record against Paul now stands at five wins and one loss.
LIVE FACT: Daniil Medvedev beat Tommy Paul 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 to reach the Shanghai Masters semi-finals for the third time (ATP, Fri 16 Oct 2026, Shanghai).The 2019 champion lost his way in a lopsided second set but took control of the long baseline rallies in the decider, as Paul… pic.twitter.com/cPODfXxvKF
Rafael Jódar Reaches Semifinals in Historic Shanghai Run
Standing between Medvedev and the final is 20-year-old Rafael Jódar, who defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud 4:6, 6:4, 6:3 in two hours and 20 minutes. Jódar became the youngest semifinalist in the history of the tournament by rallying from a set down for his fourth victory of the event.
The 12th-ranked Spaniard broke Ruud five times across the final two sets, including a love-game break at 5-4 in the second to shift momentum. Jódar’s rapid ascent has seen him climb from world number 903 just over a year ago into the top 50 this past April after capturing his first ATP title in Morocco.
Chasing the ATP Finals Race in Turin
Both semifinalists carry significant stakes regarding the season-ending ATP Finals. Medvedev enters the weekend sitting eighth in the race with 3,030 points, having seen his six-year streak of consecutive appearances at the event end last year. The 2019 Shanghai champion emphasized that It is not just about playing there, but about the desire to qualify,
adding that If you make it, you belong to the top eight in the world and have had a really good season.
Qualified participants secure their place among the year’s elite eight players, reflecting a consistently high level across the entire tennis calendar rather than simply competing in the year-end tournament.
On the opposite side of the draw, top-seeded German Alexander Zverev meets Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the second semifinal. Medvedev and Jódar will face each other on the court for the first time in their professional careers.
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