Daniil Medvedev broke new floor on the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Thursday when he cruised previous German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 6-2, 6-2 to succeed in the semi-finals in Rome for the primary time.
The third seed had by no means received a match within the Italian capital earlier than this fortnight, however has produced a few of his finest tennis to advance to the final 4 at an ATP Masters 1000 clay-court occasion for simply the second time (Monte-Carlo 2019).
“I mentioned earlier than the event I used to be feeling actually nice in observe,” Medvedev mentioned. “It’s at all times a hazard to say this should you lose the primary spherical and also you suppose, ‘Why did I say this’. However I’m feeling nice. The transition from Grand Stand to heart court docket was not simple. He was struggling greater than me and I’m pleased with the win and being within the semis.”
In a dominant efficiency in opposition to Hanfmann, Medvedev sat deep behind the baseline to absorb the German’s highly effective hitting, hanging quite a few gorgeous passing winners. The third seed moved effectively on centre court docket and timed the ball cleanly off each wings to advance after one hour and 20 minutes.
“I knew I needed to put as many balls into the court docket as attainable as a result of he performs aggressively,” Medvedev mentioned. “There aren’t going to be many factors the place you dictate, it will likely be primarily him. However what you must do is play deep and attempt to make him miss. Possibly he did not play his finest match however that’s the way it works, you possibly can’t play your finest match on daily basis and I’m glad I may neutralise his attacking model.”
Medvedev has now earned a Tour-leading 18 ATP Masters 1000 wins this season, highlighted by his run to the title in Miami final month. The 27-year-old, who defeated Alexander Zverev within the fourth spherical, will proceed the search for his fifth trophy of the season when he takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas or Borna Coric within the semi-finals on Saturday.
Medvedev is presently first within the Pepperstone ATP Reside Race To Turin and can prolong his result in 845 factors if he wins his sixth ATP Masters 1000 crown this week after second-placed Carlos Alcaraz misplaced within the third spherical in Rome.
In considered one of his finest performances of the season, Medvedev was zoned in from ball one in opposition to Hanfmann. In a powerful first set, the third seed received 80 per cent (16/20) of his first-serve factors and was aggressive all through, hanging 14 winners to steer. The second set adopted the same story, with Medvedev controlling the baseline exchanges along with his weight and depth of shot to earn his thirty seventh win of the season.
Hanfmann was competing within the quarter-finals at an ATP Masters 1000 for the primary time after upsetting Prime 10 stars Taylor Fritz and Andrey Rublev en path to the final eight. The 31-year-old German has climbed 37 spots to No. 64 within the Pepperstone ATP Reside Rankings following his dream run in Italy.
“Talking of #Steals. This. Rally. Is. Daylight. Theft”@DaniilMedwed‘s #Steal rating right this moment:
49% (23/47) 👀 🤯Tour Avg. 32%#StealScore calculates how typically a participant has received the purpose when they’re in defence through the level.@RobKoenigTennis https://t.co/cWK7T9wRn4
— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) Might 18, 2023
