Daniil Medvedev refuses to disappear from the Nitto ATP Finals conversation and extends his late-season surge with another strong run at the Almaty Open this week.
The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings averted an early danger on Friday by beating Fabian Marozsan 7-5, 6-2 to advance to his third consecutive ATP Tour semi-final. Medvedev was forced to save three set points after serving at 4-5 in the first set but quickly found his range and hit 27 winners and just 12 unforced errors in a stylish display.
“The first set was very tough, I had to save three set points,” said Medvedev. “But I’m very happy with the way I played, especially after this moment, and I’m happy that I could win. I served very well today and I managed to improve my game when I needed to, so I hope I can keep playing like this.”
Medvedev, the 2020 season finale champion, is up two places to 13th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. Now starting on October 20, he has boosted his hopes for a seventh straight appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals.
After semi-finals in Beijing and Shanghai, Medvedev awaits a last-four meeting with qualifier James Duckworth in Almaty. The Australian previously upset third seed Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-2 to become the second man to reach multiple semi-finals at the event after advancing to the final in 2021.
In August, after a disappointing season by his high standards, Medvedev admitted he was not too worried about his slim chances of qualifying for Turin. However, under new coaches Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke, the 29-year-old is rediscovering his rhythm and trademark consistency.
Duckworth, meanwhile, continues to do well at the Kazakh ATP 250 event and is up 30 places to No. 108 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. Cobolli was unable to cope with the Australian’s relentless movement and accuracy during their 91-minute clash, during which he saved all five break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
#Medvedev #finds #spark #Almaty #track #Turin #sharper..