After a meeting long interrupted by rain, Daniil Medvedev got the better of Stefanos Tsitsipas in two sets and will play in the final of the Masters 1000 in Rome against Holger Rune.
Daniil Medvedev was patient. While the rain was once again acting up, the Russian ignored the circumstances to overcome Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second semi-final of the Masters 1000 in Rome. From the first exchanges, the world number 3 took the initiative and it paid off very quickly. Indeed, at the end of the first game, Daniil Medvedev took the service of the Greek before confirming his break.
The debates then balanced out as the sky became ever more threatening. After holding on, Stefanos Tsitsipas was able to exploit the first flaw in the Russian’s commitment to erase his late break and equalize at four games everywhere. It was then that the rain returned to the Italian capital, forcing a suspension of play. After just under three hours, a window opened to resume play but it only lasted a few minutes, which allowed Stefanos Tsitsipas to hold his serve.
The GOD of the dancefloor 😂🕺 @DaniilMedwed is through to his first clay-court final in four years, defeating Tsitsipas 7-5, 7-5!
@InteBNLdItalia | #IBI23 pic.twitter.com/uQaXc3MO01
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 20, 2023
Medvedev more comfortable with interruptions
This time, the two players waited just under two hours before hitting the clay again and it was Daniil Medvedev who knew how to better manage this situation. Indeed, the world number 3 has won three games in a row. This allowed him to take his opponent’s service and then conclude the first set at the second opportunity. On his way, the Russian started the second set with a bang, breaking Stefanos Tsitsipas again to lead two games to nothing.
But, as at the start of the match, the Greek was imperial on break points in his favor, returning to three games everywhere. From then on, the debates were again balanced but it was still the world number 5 who cracked at the very last moment. Conceding his service, Stefanos Tsitsipas offered Daniil Medvedev the opportunity to serve to win the match and the Russian took advantage of it. The first opportunity to conclude was the good one for the seeded number 3 of the tournament (7-5, 7-5 in 1h47 ‘)who will play his second final on clay after Barcelona in 2019 against Holger Rune.
