Sinner defeats Medvedev in ATP Finals semi-finals

Italy 22-year-old tennis player Jannik Sinner entered the ATP Finals final for the first time on home soil, after defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-1 on November 18.

Sinner and Medvedev were the two players in top form in the group stage. They continued to prove that in the semifinal match on the afternoon of November 18, when they had more than twice as many winners as unforced errors. But Sinner was more confident throughout the match, winning 83% of first points, 85% of points at net and not losing a single service game.

Sinner in an attack during the match against Medvedev at Pala Alpitour stadium on November 18. Photo: ATP — Sinner in an attack during the match against Medvedev at Pala Alpitour on November 18. Photo: *ATP*

Sinner got into better rhythm by successfully taking advantage of the first break-point in game four to take a 3-1 lead. The Italian player had previously successfully saved a break-point from Medvedev in game three.

The only difference in the first set was that Sinner cruised to a 6-3 victory when neither had a break point in the remaining five games. Sinner and Medvedev continued to use their serves in the second set. Most of the games in this set ended in just a few minutes, except for the eighth game, where Medvedev had a break point but kept missing.

Medvedev was under great pressure from the Turin crowd, who were cheering wildly for Sinner. But the Russian still showed his mettle in the second set, a set he had to win. Medvedev calmly overcame the pressure, dragging Sinner into a tie-break. In this set, the 1.98m tall player's serve was at its best. After leading 4-3, the fourth seed had two consecutive serve points, before closing out the nerve-wracking series with a score of 7-4.

Sinner lost the second set but did not lose heart. On the contrary, the Italian player started quickly in the deciding set with overwhelming series of balls against Medvedev. He earned three break-points in the first service game of his senior and successfully took advantage of the third opportunity. Sinner then increased the lead to 4-1 thanks to his stable serving ability. In the sixth game, the home player made Medvedev struggle again with diverse drives from the back of the court, especially the backhand down the line.

Medvedev faced break-points three times and saved only two. The 27-year-old lost another service game and fell behind 1-5. He almost gave up after that game, then lost the final service game. Sinner played a convincing set when he won 76% of his first-serve points, including 10 winners, and did not face any break-points. At the other end of the net, Medvedev lost his rhythm when he committed five unforced errors and scored only three winners.

Medvedev missed out on a second ATP Finals final after winning his first in 2020. Sinner maintained his winning streak this year, keeping alive his hopes of earning a record $4.8 million in prize money. He is one win away from glory, with his final opponent being either Carlos Alcaraz or Novak Djokovic. If he wins, Sinner will become the first Italian to win the title in the tournament’s 54-year history.

Vy Anh

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