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Daniil Medvedev shrugged only briefly after the transformed match point – he accepted the biggest success of his career almost nonchalantly. But then the Russian tennis pro smiled as he took the defeated Dominic Thiem into his arms.
Two weeks after winning the Masters in Paris, Medvedev also triumphed at the ATP Finals in London and is riding the wave of winter break success after a strong final streak of the season.
Thiem: “Daniil deserves it”
The fourth in the world rankings won the final on Sunday with great morale against US Open champion Thiem from Austria 4: 6, 7: 6 (7: 2), 6: 4.
“What a match. Perhaps one of the best victories of my career,” Medvedev said after lifting the mighty silver cup under the shower of confetti. “Of course I am disappointed, but Daniil really deserves it,” Thiem congratulated.
Medvedev surpasses top 3
Medvedev, 24, became the first player to beat world numbers one to three in the ATP Finals. In the preliminary round he defeated the world number one Novak Djokovic, in the semifinals he eliminated Rafael Nadal before Thiem had to congratulate the world number three in the final. On the ATP tour, this feat had only been accomplished by three players, including Boris Becker in Stockholm in 1994.
Medvedev finished the season with ten wins in a row: before the ATP Finals, he had already defeated German number one Alexander Zverev in the final in Paris. Hamburg, who had won the season finale of the top eight of the year in 2018, had already failed in the London group stage.
Thiem manages the first break
Thiem’s first service game, which lasted ten minutes alone, immediately showed just how fierce the final should be. Both players were immediately at operating temperature and repeatedly involved in long rallies, with a double error Medvedev Thiem gave the first break to 3: 2. The Austrian no longer gave up the lead.
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In the second set, too, both players were mostly at eye level, but only showed high-quality tennis on occasion. Medvedev got into trouble time and again with his own serve, but the Austrian negligently left good chances for the preliminary decision, and Medvedev punished him in the tiebreaker.
Medvedev with a decisive break
At the decision sentence, Thiem suddenly stood with his back to the wall, in 1: 1 he defended himself from three break balls. A little later, however, unable to break free, Medvedev grew stronger and stronger and took the break at 3-2. The Muscovite showed no further weakness and secured the winner’s check for around 1.3 million euros.
