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LONDON: Daniil Medvedev stunned Novak Djokovic in straight sets to book a place in the last four in the ATP Finals on Wednesday when former champion Alexander Zverev kicked off his campaign.
The Russian fourth seed went head-to-head with the world number one, winning 6-3, 6-3 in an absorbing and energy-sapping contest at London’s empty O2 Arena.
Previously, German fifth seed Zverev beat Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, rebounding from the loss to Medvedev in his first Tokyo Group game 1970.
Top seed Djokovic is seeking to match the record of six-time winner Roger Federer, who is absent from the season-ending tournament with injury.
But Medvedev, who won the Paris Masters last week, beat Djokovic at his own game, crushing him in a near-perfect defensive display.
The Russian giant earned a handful of break points early and finally made a score in the seventh game, which lasted 11 grueling minutes.
The 24-year-old kept his serve with ease in the next game and took over the first set 6-3 when Djokovic double-faulted.
Increasingly confident Medvedev again broke the 17-time Grand Slam champion at the start of the second set to win his sixth straight game in the free-for-all match.
Djokovic stopped the rot with his own serve, but was able to force only one break point, which he failed to convert.
The victory carries Medvedev to the semifinals, but five-time winner Djokovic still has a chance to progress in a shootout with Zverev on Friday.
“I always like to pay Novak, first because he is one of the greatest champions in the history of our sport and when I was eight I was already watching him on television winning Grand Slams,” Medvedev said.
“He was still young, so it was always a dream come true to play against him.”
“I was serving well and playing safe enough in the most important moments and that’s why I got the win,” added the Russian, who lost all three of his games on his debut last year.
Zverev victory
Zverev, the 2018 champion, looked in a bad mood in his straight-sets loss to Medvedev on Monday and again struggled to find starting rhythm in the early match in London.
The high-serve German was broken by Schwartzman in Game 3, but turned the tables with two breaks of his own to take the set.
Zverev, who is 11 inches taller than Schwartzman, appeared to be in control in the second set, but stumbled twice on serve when his 28-year-old opponent tied the game.
The momentum seemed to be with the Argentine, but the match changed direction again in the fifth game of the deciding match when Zverev broke with a good backhand volley, repeating the feat to seal the victory.
“I’m excited for Friday,” Zverev said. “Friday will be the most difficult match you can have here, against Novak.”
The German, who has won two titles in the 2020 season cut short by the coronavirus, beat Djokovic in the final in London two years ago, but has yet to win a Grand Slam.
Dominic Thiem is in charge of the London 2020 Group after beating second seed Rafael Nadal on Tuesday for two wins out of two.
