Russian star Daniil Medvedev will take on Stefanos Tsitsipas in Saturday’s semi-final
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Reigning US Open champion Daniil Medvedev will take on rival Stefanos Tsitsipas in Saturday’s Cincinnati Masters semi-final after the Russian star overcame an early scare from the in-form Taylor Fritz to claim a straight sets win to qualify for his first final-four Masters 1000 spot of 2022.
Fritz came into the match playing some of the best tennis of his career. The American came into the match on the back of his first-ever Grand Slam quarter-final appearance at Wimbledon, and began in blistering form on the speedy Cincinnati court and appeared to catch Medvedev cold early as he found success countering the Russian’s forehand shots.
He earned several break points in the first set but Medvedev’s experience soon began to show as he kept pace, saving a set point in the tenth game of the match and later two more as he forced the opening frame to a tie-break.
From here, it was business as usual.
WHAT A POINT BY DANIIL pic.twitter.com/03Si1xOoB3
— kr9pton (@kr9ptonlul) August 19, 2022
Medvedev upped the pace and stormed into a lead in the tie-break, eventually taking it by a score of 7-1. This proved to be all the momentum that was needed by the world’s top-ranked player.
He broke Fritz’s serve in the second game of the second set to stretch into a 3-0 lead and from there he was rarely in trouble, and claimed the second set – and the match – with a score of 6-3 after an hour and 38 minutes of action.
“Cincinnati has fast courts and fast balls and I have always liked it. But always tricky matches, especially between two great servers,” Medvedev said afterwards.
“I feel like me and Taylor served good, even if we aren’t John [Isner] maybe! I knew that it was going to be a tight match.
Always the nice guy 🥰@DaniilMedwed#CincyTennispic.twitter.com/lfufxO8dZ7
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 19, 2022
“The first set he was on top of me a little bit. He had many more chances than I did on my serve, but I managed to stay in. There were some set points where I could have missed and no one would have talked about it, it would have been normal. But I managed to stay in the set and that helped me win the match.”
He later added: “I’m happy with my level. If I can continue to play this way, and especially during the match raise my level, I can beat anybody.”
Medvedev will play Greek star and fourth seed Tsitsipas later on Saturday with the winner taking on either Cameron Norrie or Borna Coric in Sunday’s final.
