Grigor Dimitrov upsets third seed Daniil Medvedev at Paris Masters tennis tournament
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Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov took two hours and 54 minutes to oust third seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia at the Paris Masters on Wednesday.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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PARIS – Daniil Medvedev became the latest high-ranking player to fall at the Paris Masters when he lost to Grigor Dimitrov in the second round on Wednesday.
The Russian world No. 3 was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-2) by the 17th-ranked Bulgarian.
In a match that lasted 2hr 54min, Medvedev was always chasing. Dimitrov broke in the sixth game of the match on his way to the first set.
In the second round in Vienna last week, Dimitrov took the first set by the same score, but Medvedev won the next two sets comfortably before going on to lose the final.
This time, Medvedev broke in the sixth game of the second set. However, Dimitrov fought back, breaking in the ninth game to force a tiebreak which Medvedev edged out on his first set point.
In the decider, Dimitrov took the initiative when he broke again in the sixth game. Medvedev saved four match points before breaking serve in the ninth game. The Russian saved two more match points before holding in his final service game to force a tiebreak.
However, the Bulgarian raced to a 5-0 lead and, after Medvedev took two points on serve, finished the match.
Dimitrov said he regretted letting a 40-15 lead slip on Medvedev’s serve in the 10th game.
“I just didn’t go enough for my shots. Against a player like him, he’s going to take it, simple as that. I thought I played an excellent game with very good shot selection. It slipped there, but a good outcome in the end,” said Dimitrov.
On Tuesday, Spain’s world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz slipped to a shock defeat
Alcaraz was making his return to the court following injuries to his lower back and left foot, and had been given a bye in the first round, but had no answer to Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin, who eased through 6-3, 6-4.
“He didn’t surprise me at all because I knew that he has been playing at a great level these last few months, beating big guys, reaching finals. I knew that he was going to play at a high level,” said a disconsolate Alcaraz.
Safiullin, ranked 45th in the world, cancelled out an early Alcaraz break in the first set and never looked back as he ran on to claim the opener 6-3.
The same scenario then played out in the second set, with the Spaniard breaking for an early lead, only for his opponent to strike back immediately.
Roman Safiullin celebrating after defeating Carlos Alcaraz at the Rolex Paris Masters tennis tournament on Oct 31.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Having announced he would play in the tournament only last Wednesday, Alcaraz looked far from his sharpest.
“I just didn’t feel well, you know, on the court. A lot of things to improve, a lot of things to practise. I think I didn’t move well,” he said.
However, much credit must go to Safiullin, who was relentless in getting over the line for a career-boosting win in what was his first meeting with the Spaniard.
The 26-year-old held his nerves under pressure from the Wimbledon champion to serve out for the win, despite facing several deuce points in the final game.
“Even if he’s not in the best shape, it’s tough to beat him. So, I’m really happy that I made it,” said Safiullin.
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev, who was set to face Ugo Humbert in the second round at press time, has been ordered by a Berlin court to pay an undisclosed fine for physically abusing the mother of his child, the German player’s lawyers said, adding that he would contest the court order.
The former world No. 2 “rejects the accusation made against him” by his former girlfriend Brenda Patea that she was a victim of bodily harm during an argument in 2020, his lawyers said.
The pair had a daughter in 2021, though by that time they were no longer together.
The Guardian reported that the Tiergarten District Court fined Zverev €450,000 (S$650,000).
In January, the ATP closed an investigation that was launched after another former girlfriend, tennis player Olga Sharypova, accused Zverev of domestic abuse. The ATP cited insufficient evidence as its reason for dropping the case.
Over in Cancun, Mexico, Jessica Pegula became the first player to book a semi-final spot after upsetting world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
The American dominated her out-of-sorts Belarusian opponent from the outset to claim a 6-4, 6-3 victory and seal a last-four spot after fellow Bacalar Group opponent Elena Rybakina edged out Maria Sakkari 6-0, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-2).
The Kazakh world No. 4 will take on Sabalenka on Thursday, while Pegula will face Sakkari in their final group-stage match.
AFP, REUTERS
