Cincinnati (USA) (AFP)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia, N.1 world, was eliminated Saturday in the semi-finals of the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati by the N.9 seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Medvedev, 23, will face Sunday in the finals to the Belgian David Goffin, 19th world, who eliminated in the other semifinal French Richard Gasquet, 56th, 6-3, 6-4.
Djokovic, 32, was playing his first tournament since winning at Wimbledon in July. He gave up last week's tournament in Montreal, won by Spaniard Rafael Nadal at the expense of ... Medvedev.
The unfortunate finalist had signed on Monday, with 8th place, the best ATP ranking of his career, just under a month after joining the top 10 for the first time.
Saturday in Cincinnati, Novak Djokovic seemed to control the game, winning the first set 6 games to 3. But he could not answer when his opponent has increased the pressure to equalize a set everywhere, having won 12 of the last 14 points of 2nd set, then lead 3-1 in the final set and win on his first match point.
"I do not know how I turned things around, I was so tired after the first set and I thought I was not able to maintain the intensity," the Russian said after the game. "I played an incredible game and I am very happy."
The Serbian, who had not lost a single set during the tournament, left the court immediately after the defeat which comes one week before the US Open, the last round of the Grand Slam of the year.
© 2019 AFP