Daniil Medvedev showcased his resilience Wednesday at the Shanghai Masters, edging 19-year-old Learner Tien 7-6(6), 6-7(1), 6-4 in a grueling 173-minute epic. It’s the Russian’s first win over the American this season after two prior defeats.
The match opened with tension. Medvedev broke serve in game nine of the first set, only for Tien to immediately claw back in game ten. Both men held serve before a tight tiebreaker saw Medvedev save set point at 6-6 and storm back-to-back points to claim the frame.
In the second set, Medvedev stormed to a 3-0 lead, but Tien’s poise turned the tide as he rattled off five straight games. Medvedev succumbed to cramps under the Shanghai lights in the tiebreaker, giving Tien the frame.
The decider was a study in caution—neither player yielding ground until 4-4. Medvedev struck a crucial break in game nine and held serve to seal victory, avoiding a third straight loss to his 19-year-old rival. “Without the serve, he is 19 years old and 30-something in the world, and only going up,” Medvedev praised.
Next up for Medvedev is World No. 7 Alex de Minaur, who joined the quarterfinal party after a 7-5, 6-2 win over Nuno Borges. De Minaur became the third player this season to hit 50 ATP Tour wins, following Carlos Alcaraz (67) and Taylor Fritz (50).
Reference(s):
Medvedev outlasts Tien to advance to quarterfinals at Shanghai Masters
cgtn.com
