ATP Finals: Fritz starts strong with a win against chaotic Medvedev
The American registered his 50th win of the season by defeating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets on Sunday
© Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse/Shutterst/SIPA
American Taylor Fritz started his 2024 ATP Finals strong as he defeated Daniil Medvedev, the No 4 seed from Russia, 6-4, 6-3 in a round-robin encounter of Ille Nastase Group on Sunday, November 10, at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy.
Fritz needed an hour, 19 minutes to end Medvedev’s resistance in the first match of the season-ending championships.
While the two players produced a tough fight for the majority of the match, however, Medvedev’s chaotic behaviour made Fritz’s job easier towards the end as the No 5 seed notched up his 50th win of the season.
The victor concluded that he focused on making the most of his serve which, in his words, proved vital.
“It was a big part of it for sure,” said Fritz after the win. “He’s such a good returner. You can make a lot of first serves, but if they are not very high quality, he just puts so many returns in the court. It was huge for me, I hit a lot of lines, a lot of spots to start out games. I got out of a lot of service games, no pressure. Some of the ones we got tight in, I was either able to grind through the long rallies or get myself some free points.”
Set 1: Three double faults cost Medvedev
The opening set witnessed tight tennis from Medvedev and Fritz as both players failed to create a break point until the last game.
Medvedev interestingly stood closer to the baseline on the return in the initial games and used drop shots to good effect. The players began making each other’s jobs harder during the middle few games of the set, with the Russian coming through a tough hold in the sixth game and the American in the seventh.
Fritz secured the ninth game quickly, holding to love, to put Medvedev under the pressure of staying afloat. And the Russian did succumb to the pressure, spraying a shocking three double faults to lose the set right after going 30-15 up with an impressive drop shot.
Medvedev ended the set with seven double faults, a meagre 52 percent average on the first-serve landings, and a broken racket.
Set 2: Point penalty for Medvedev
Medvedev regrouped from the meltdown that followed after the first set and created two break-point opportunities on Fritz’s serve in the opening game of the second set. The American saved one after a tiring 30-shot rally and went on to hold.
The Russian was at it again, creating another break point in the third game but Fritz hung tough and came through with a hold despite shoelace malfunction.
Sixth game onwards, Medvedev lost the plot altogether after being broken by his opponent with an impressive lob that led the Russian to fling his second racquet of the match high. He then proceeded to break a microphone placed on the court to attract a point penalty.
What followed after the punishment proved catastrophic for Medvedev as he juggled his racquet in frustration on several occasions to let the emotions out. He produced a strong hold in the penultimate game of the match but it was too little too late as Fritz ended the tussle with a hold to love.
