Daniil Medvedev reached his third ATP Finals semi-final after beating Alexander Zverev in straight sets in Turin.
The 18th ATP meeting between the pair was a tight encounter as Medvedev came from behind in a first-set tie-breaker to snatch victory before edging ahead in the second to secure his spot in the final four with a 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 success.
The stakes were already high as both players entered the clash with one win under their belts already in the Red Group. Zverev had beaten Carlos Alcaraz and Medvedev got the better of Andrey Rublev in straight sets.
A thrilling start to the opening set saw Medvedev break in the first game before clinching the second, but Zverev held his serve to pull one back in the third and managed to break in the sixth to tie 3-3.
The score went back-and-forth before Medvedev held in the 12th to force a tie-breaker and the drama continued as the world number three came from 1-4 down to save two set points and take it.
Aiming to continue the momentum in the second, he took the opening game before Zverev served up two aces to tie and both players held serve in another tightly-contested set.
The set looked destined to boil down to another tie-break as Medvedev held in the ninth but managed to break in the following game to earn his spot in the semi-finals.
See you Saturday 👋@DaniilMedwed claims battle XVIII with Zverev 7-6(7), 6-4 to move 11-7 🆙 in their rivalry#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/7gTJfEsn9w
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 15, 2023
Medvedev told the ATP website: "It was a very tough match mentally. I started very well, I was playing well.
"He was kind of not there yet, but at one moment he stepped up his game and at this moment, for whatever reason, I started playing a little bit worse for a short period of time.
"I'm happy that I managed to regroup and play better at the end of the first set. The end of both sets was very tight… In the tie-break he had set point on his serve. I’m happy because this year I might have lost some matches like this. I’m happy to be able to win."
Medvedev will face Alcaraz in his next group game.
The Spaniard snapped a three-match losing streak as he beat Rublev 7-5 6-2.
Rublev found himself pinned back by world number two Alcaraz, who never faced a break point and kept his hopes of advancing alive with his first win at the event after missing the last edition with an abdominal injury.
Alcaraz’s critical break came in the 11th game of the first set, during which he dropped just one point on his first serve and soon his opponent began to unravel.
Rublev dropped his serve to start the second set and could not rein in his reaction as he slammed his racquet against his knee with such force he drew blood, mopping it up with a towel at his chair before returning to the court.
It was all too much to overcome as Alcaraz, who finished with 21 winners to 11 unforced errors, sealed the 74-minute victory with his first match point.
The 20-year-old, who improved to 1-1 following his opening loss to Zverev, will face Medvedev to conclude the group stage on Friday while Rublev will take on Zverev.
ALCARAZ FROM DOWNTOWN TURIN 🦸@carlosalcaraz | #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/72tuGZ6eMo
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 15, 2023
Alcaraz told the ATP website: "It was a totally different match and level from me. This is the level I have to play if I want to give myself a chance in this amazing tournament.
"Yesterday was a good day for me in practise to find the level I needed to show today and I think I did pretty well. I am very happy with my level."
