ATP Tour: Medvedev Triumphs Over Wawrinka in Intense Rotterdam Showdown
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Synopsis
Daniil Medvedev triumphed over Stan Wawrinka in an intense match at the ATP Rotterdam Open, showcasing resilience after a tough first set. Medvedev's victory keeps him in contention for the title, marking his return after winning the event in 2023.
Key Takeaways
- Medvedev fights back after losing the first set.
- Wawrinka's aggressive game plan was effective early on.
- Medvedev's performance improved after a break.
- Next, Medvedev faces qualifier Bellucci.
- A potential title win would be historic for Medvedev.
Rotterdam, Feb 4 (NationPress) World No. 7 Daniil Medvedev faced a rigorous challenge, battling through a difficult first set to secure victory against Swiss tennis icon Stan Wawrinka in a matchup featuring two former champions of the tournament, keeping his hopes alive at the ATP Rotterdam Open.
The second seed rallied with an engaging scoreline of 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-1 against fellow ex-champion Wawrinka, despite having squandered two set points in the opening set. Nevertheless, he made a strong recovery to advance to the second round of this indoor hard-court ATP 500 event, marking his first appearance since clinching the title in 2023.
In other Round of 32 matches, Greek player Stefanos Tsitsipas, the sixth seed competing on a wildcard, triumphed over qualifier Harold Mayot of France in straight sets, 8-1, 7-5. Meanwhile, eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland easily defeated Flavio Cabolli of Italy with a score of 6-3, 6-2 in a swift 77-minute contest on Centre Court. Additionally, qualifier Mattia Bellucci from Italy overcame Mees Rottgering of the Netherlands, winning 6-3, 6-2 to progress to the pre-quarterfinals on Monday night.
The spotlight shone brightly on the Medvedev vs Wawrinka showdown, particularly as both players are previous champions and Medvedev was returning after a hiatus from the event.
Wawrinka, who won in Rotterdam in 2015, fought valiantly but ultimately ran out of steam as Medvedev pushed through to victory.
The 28-year-old is set to face Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci next. Should Medvedev claim the title this week, it would represent his first since the 2023 ATP Masters 1000 in Rome, and it would also mark a significant milestone as it would be the first instance of the former World No. 1 winning the same event twice, having previously secured 20 titles at various tournaments.
Having triumphed over Medvedev in their past two ATP encounters, Wawrinka recognized the challenge that lay ahead, and his strategy was clear from the start. The 39-year-old not only engaged in grueling rallies but also attacked Medvedev with persistent aggression.
Wawrinka defended a 29-shot set point, which was the longest rally of the opener, by showcasing his authority and finishing the point at the net. He maintained this approach to challenge Medvedev throughout the 69-minute first set, where the Swiss player won 12 of 17 points at the net, as per Infosys ATP Stats.
After taking a toilet break at the end of the first set, Medvedev returned as a transformed player. The No. 7 player in the PIF ATP Rankings elevated his aggression level, which began to force more errors from Wawrinka and significantly diminished his winner count, dropping from 16 to 5 between the two sets.
As the match progressed, Wawrinka struggled to regain the sharpness that had allowed him to fire winners from all corners of the court in the first set. Medvedev concluded the final set emphatically, not facing a single break point.
