Righto, that’s us for tonight. Thanks for your company, and join us again tomorrow afternoon at 1.30pm GMT for Djokovic v Hurkacz.
Medvedev speaks: he thinks he started very well and Zverev was a bit off, so he went for the double-break given the fast court, but he then played worse as his opponent played better. He was able to regroup though, noting that on so fast a court it’s not easy to get the ball back into play if your opponent’s played a good shot. Otherwise, he says both sets were tight, winning the breaker put pressure on Zverev, and he’s feeling good. Turin is just three hours by car from where he lives in Monaco, he knows where he likes to eat and his family can join him; at this stage of the season, he tries to balance tennis with non-tennis.
As for Medvedev, he’ll be delighted with the win and the way he adapted on the fly, varying his serve once he realised targeting the forehand wasn’t working. He can now lose to Alcaraz and still make it through; if that happens and Zverev beats Rublev, Zverev is through on head-to-head. If Medvedev and Rublev win, Rublev, Zverev and Alcaraz will each have one win, the tiebreakers are, in this order: percentage of sets won, percentage of games won, ATP rankings.
At the end of the first set, Zverev was the better player, but his forehand still comes and goes, and against a player who serves as well as he does, that consistency is a difference-maker.
Zverev played fairly well today, but Medvedev was calmer – and better – on the big points, and overall is the more solid player with the more reliable temperament.
Updated
Daniil Medvedev beats Alexander Zverev 7-6(7) 6-4! He qualifies for the semi-finals!
Medvedev 7-6(7) 6-4 Zverev* Medvedev chases to the forehand corner, blocks back an overhead he should’ve been nowhere near, on the leap, and Zverev, serving to stay in the match, nets! Might that spurned break point be bothering him? Maybe, because a backhand then goes wide … after which an ace screeches down the T; 15-30. Medvedev then lands a return on the line, but he opts not to hurl everything behind it, and eventually Zverev sizzles a backhand winner to level the game. BUT HAVE A LOOK! Out on the backhand side, eo doesn’t do enough with his cross-courter, allowing Medvedev to coax a backhand winner down the line, raising match point in the process … and Zverev wafts long!
Updated
*Medvedev 7-6(7) 5-4 Zverev Now then. Zverev flat-bats a forehand down the line for 15-0, then squeals when he can’t control his next return, which loops long. But might this be his chance? Medvedev delays a backhand waiting for Zverev to pick a side, only to hammer it wide, but what a waste! A long, knackering rally, then a backhand drop that’s wide, and Zverev reviews but even from 1000 miles away, I can see that wasn’t even close to the line. But at 30-all, Medvedev isn’t quite sure what to do with a short one, so he skips into a drop of his own … that hits the net! First break-point of the set to Zverev, but Medvedev’s saved 69% of them on hard this season and Zverev goes long then into the net, both via forehand – will his ever be reliable? – and the game quickly disappears from there.
Medvedev 7-6(7) 4-4 Zverev* It’s a long time since I saw a set like this: neither player with even a sniff of a break. Never mind a break, there’ve only been two or three times the server has been behind, but as I type, Zverev punishes a serve that opens the court … only to send his clean-up forehand a fraction long! 30-all! A drop, though, makes 40-30, and from there, a huge forehand to the backhand corner is backed-up by a swing volley, and we’re back on terms again.
*Medvedev 7-6(7) 4-3 Zverev Zverev comes in, daring Medvedev to try the pass and he nets, but a skipping forehand down the line is in, just, which makes 30-15. At 40-15, though, the Russian goes long … so he clobbers an ace on to the wide side of the service box, no longer targeting the forehand.
Medvedev 7-6(7) 3-3 Zverev* At 15-0, then hammer balls down the middle until Medvedev nets, then three more quick points level it up again. Neither player is playing well enough or badly enough for there to be breaking opportunities.
*Medvedev 7-6(7) 3-2 Zverev Medvedev goes long and I think this 0-15 might be the first time in this set that the receiver has been ahead … and a double then gives Zverev 15-30. But an ace out to the backhand follows, and from there Medvedev quickly closes out. Then, at change of ends, the DJ – who’s loving his week bopping about – drops this banger. 1990, time to move on, mates.
Updated
Medvedev 7-6(7) 2-2 Zverev* Zverev won this competition in 2018 and 2021, and he’s a much better player now than then. And he quickly reaches 30-0, running around his backhand to flambé a winner down the line, before quickly closing out his first love-hold of the match.
Updated
*Medvedev 7-6(7) 2-1 Zverev Medvedev races t0 30-0 then swipes a backhand down the line that’s just wide. But at 40-15, Zverev slices into the net, and currently, neither player can make an impression on the other’s serve.
Medvedev 7-6(7) 1-1 Zverev* A big forehand makes 15-0, then at 30-15, an ace way out wide; Zverev looks over his disappointment. Yup, a second straight ace, this time on to the T, and it almost doesn’t matter how well he’s playing because that serve can keep him in any match.
*Medvedev 7-6(7) 1-0 Zverev Zverev will be feeling very poorly having lost that set but he needs to shake it off quickly; Medvedev holds to love, and will, you’d think, plan to attack when his opponent serves in a second.
Updated
Daniil Medvedev wins the first set 7-6(7)
Medvedev 7-6(7) Zverev But Medvedev reads his serve and fro in front of the net, he doesn’t middle his putaway and frames into the net! He had so much time to not do that! But he did that! We wind up at sevens and it’s just so hard to split these: they’re evenly matched and serve like animals, but when Medvedev holds to raise set-point on the Zverev serve, Zverev doesn’t do enough with a forehand to the forehand corner – suddenly targeting that wing doesn’t look so smart a strategy – so Medvedev goes high down the line, and all Zverev can do it net his volley! Medvedev was by far the better player early doors but has had to hang on through the business end, only to grab the set at the death – because, as we said, this is coming down to a point here and there, with both these capable of winning one at any point.
Updated
Medvedev 6-6 Zverev (5-6) No way! Medvedev thinks Zverev has netted, but the ball pings the top of the cord and drops right next to it; all Medvedev can do it get it back, and this is a chance: Zverev should whack it at him, but instead tried a lob, and it drops short! But when Medvedev doesn’t do enough with a forehand, Zverev blocks back and he overhits his overhead! Set-point Zverev, on serve…
Medvedev 6-6 Zverev (4-5) No way! Zverev dumps a simple shoulder-high volley, then Medvedev wins his second service-point to keep it close. And presented with a half-courter, he punishes a forehand winner that restores parity; these two are so well-matched, something which goes for pretty much all the players in this tournament, which is why most of the matches have been close.
Medvedev 6-6 Zverev (1-4) Zverev serves first and Medvedev misses with a pass down the line, as we see a graphic showing us 80% of his first serves have gone to the forehand – which is why he’s getting read. And he soon dumps a backhand into the net, ceding the mini-break immediately, and though he wins his second service-point, Zverev’s forehand dictates the next … and the next, and inside-out underarmer on to the line making 4-1.
*Medvedev 6-6 Zverev Medvedev’s forehand hasn’t been put under that much pressure, but when he overhits a forehand, Zverev has 30-15 that quickly becomes 30-all. In comms, Greg reckons he needs to vary where he’s serving because he’s getting read, but two quick points, the second sealed with a backhand pass down the line, means we’re getting a breaker. lovely stuff.
Medvedev 5-6 Zverev* Medvedev misses a simple forehand and Zverev makes 30-15, but then, during another long, physical rally, he wallops long, and given this match looks likely to be decided by a point here and there, that could cost him. But he slams a decent deep approach, then puts a way a fine backhand volley and closes out to guarantee himself a breaker minimum. Pressure on the Russian.
Updated
*Medvedev 5-5 Zverev Serving to stay in the set, Medvedev makes 15-0 when Zverev nets tamely, but a mis-hit forehand drops a little long; no matter, a return into the net gives him 30-15. A service-winner follows, then another, and this match has 7-6 6-7 7-6 written all over it.
Medvedev 4-5 Zverev* Zverev is attacking Medvedev’s forehand when we might’ve expected he’d go backhand to backhand, and the tactic gets him 30-0. But a poor approach means he’s there to be passed – on the backhand at 102mph – redressing the balance with a service winner. Medvedev, though, sticks in the game with a return that cramps movement, Zverev netting … before monstering an ace on to the T.
*Medvedev 4-4 Zverev Up 30-0, Medvedev is again imprecise on the forehand, but next point, he repels everything thumped at him before the error comes, then seals the convincing hold he needed with an ace. This is a really interesting match, Zverev trying to work out when he can attack and Medvedev trying to work him about the court.
Medvedev 3-4 Zverev* It took him a few games, but Zverev seems to acclimatised now. He races to 40-0, but then goes long to give Medvedev a sniff. And at the end of a sapping rally, it’s the Russian who falters first, a forehand down the line landing just wide. This next game will be very interesting, because Zverev has dominated the last 10 minutes.
*Medvedev 3-3 Zverev Medvedev merrily thrashes away from the back, but Zverev makes him hit an extra shot and he nets; a service-winner makes 15-all, then an excellent momentum-switching backhand givers 15-30 and a double raises two break-back points! The first is saved with a big serve and forehand combo move, then extra pace on a second delivery elicits a netted backhand return; deuce. Zverev, though, sticks at it, a telling forehand down the line giving him advantage, and when Medvedev nets a forehand we’re back on terms!
Medvedev 3-2 Zverev* A decent return from Medvedev allows a bigger forehand, and he comes in to dispatch a drive-volley putaway for 0-15. Zverev, though, plays a much better second point, finishing it off with a backhand volley, then spanks an ace out wide. At 40-15, Medvedev finds a loopy forehand that allows a backhand winner down the line, but then during another nice rally, Zverev slices, and he can’t get to the net in time to flip it back over.
Updated
*Medvedev 3-1 Zverev Medvedev is just so solid, but what I like about him is that he’s also creative and brilliant. And art the moment, he’s too much for Zverev, who can’t work out how to play him, or how to impose his will on the match. In double-quick time, it’s 40-0, then again, Zverev is directed to hither and yon before he nets; I guess if he’d hung in there longer, Medvedev would’ve hit a winner.
Medvedev 2-1 Zverev* Again, Medvedev dictates from the back then, when he’s good and ready – only when he’s good and ready – he sends a forehand winner into the empty space he’s created for that purpose. Zverev, though, responds with an ace then, at 40-30, Medvedev goes long and the German is on the board and in the match.
*Medvedev 2-0 Zverev We see Sinner in the crowd as Medvedev rushes to 40-15; he’s started tonight as he ended Monday night, in terrific nick. Zverev, though, is struggling with a different pace of match – Alcraaaz comes out you, Medvedev waits for you then comes at you – and that’s a pretty straightforward consolidation.
Medvedev 1-0 Zverev* (denotes server) A protracted rally to start, Zverev eventually going long on the forehand … then long on the backhand; immediate pressure. So far, they’re playing Medvedev’s game, slow points, and though he misses attempting a forehand winner, he hits with one immediately thereafter to raise two break points. But just as Zverev looks to have saved the first one with a booming backhand to the corner, followed up with a backhand, Medvedev’s response down the line is superb and allows him to clear up with a forehand winner! He breaks at the first time of asking!
Updated
Ready? Play.
Out come our players, the arena rammed again.
Updated
“There they are, the lads…” Some absolute rigs here.
'Email! “I feel I have to inform you – or Coach Calv –” begins Mattia Leoni, “that Turin is only 289m above sea level, not exactly altitude: it is at the feet of the Alps, you can see the mighty mountains from the city, but … it’s still on the plain, basically!”
Interesting. I’m sure the commentators were talking about it as a factor last evening, is that not enough to have an effect?
This group could get complicated in this group. If Zverev wins tonight, he’ll be through and the winner of Alcaraz v Medvedev will join him; if he doesn’t, it’s all up in the air ti the extent it’s near-impossible to list the permutations.
“Where’s Coach Calv with his breakdown?” I hear you ask, and rightly so. Well, right here: “Sixth time they’ve played each other this year. Medevedev usually wins but Zverev loves playing in altitude. Could be close I think. They’ll both do their usual thing. Medvedev will stand miles back and not miss any balls, Zverev will serve big and try and take the court. He’s a crap volleyer though so he’s limited there. And also, Medvedev hates him – earlier this year, Zverev said they’d been friends since juniors, then Medvedev said I don’t know why he keeps saying that, we’ve known each other since then but never been friends. I’d still make Medvedev slight favourite but it’s very tight just because of the altitude.”
Also for your delectation…
Preamble
Greetings all, recovered from last evening? No, me neither, but here we are, ready to go again with another enticing contest.
Both tonight’s players were superb in their first match. Daniil Medvedev wiped Andrey Rublev off the court, his patient, relentless power-game leaving his opponent close to tears.
Alexander Zverev, meanwhile, might be getting over a hump. Previously the man good enough to beat everyone – bar the best, when it really matters – since returning from long-term injury he’s steadily improved, and coming from behind to beat Carlos Alcaraz, as he did the other day, is a serious effort.
That being the case, this match is really hard to call, and with Alcaraz having beaten Andrey Rublev this afternoon, it may well be only one of these two progress . And if that’s the case, it’ll be whichever of them wins tonight.
Play: 9pm local, 8pm GMT
