Paris (AFP)

"You are probably the best player in the world right now": Alexander Zverev had no words of praise to congratulate Daniil Medvedev, his winner Sunday in the final of the Masters 1000 Shanghai.

In the absence of Rafael Nadal, 2nd at ATP, the younger generation took power in Shanghai by getting rid of the quarterback Novak Djokovic, N.1 and title holder, and Roger Federer (3rd). In addition to Medvedev (ages 4 to 23) and Zverev (ages 6 to 22), Stefanos Tsitsipas (age 7 to 21) and Matteo Berrettini (ages 13 to 23) made up the final four. And it is the Russian who has confirmed his status as a man in the form of the second half of the season.

After breaking in half Tsitsipas against whom he never lost, Medvedev easily dominated in the final (6-4, 6-1 in 1h13) Zverev, he had never beaten before.

"What a night, you (the public, Ed) have given me the good energy to win this tournament, thank you very much!" Exclaimed Medvedev who has reached the finals of the six tournaments he has played since his defeat at 3rd round at Wimbledon, and won three.

- Funny stats -

In addition to Cincinnati, the first Masters 1000 hung on his record in August, and Shanghai today, he also won at the ATP 250 in St. Petersburg last month. He played the finals in Washington (ATP 500), Montreal (Masters 1000) and the US Open (Grand Slam). In these last two tournaments, he was beaten by Nadal, who was absent from the Asian tour: drily in Canada, but at the end of a historic five-hour match at Flushing Meadows.

Winner also in Sofia (ATP 250) earlier this year, he is the player to have won the most matches (59) and to have played the most finals (9) this year. He has won 29 of his last 32 games and remains on a series of nine games won without giving up any set.

"You're in six finals in a row, why not nine ... you're really the best," said Zverev who won the first four meetings with Medvedev. But the last one went back to the Canadian Masters 1000 in 2018, a year before the fantastic Russian ride and breakthrough at ATP.

After a season - and especially a summer - where he has moved away from the level that allowed him to win 3 Masters 1000 tournaments (Canada and Rome in 2017, Madrid in 218), then posing as leader of the NextGen supposed to succeed the Djokovic , Nadal and Federer, Zverev was much sharper in Shanghai.

- The Masters race -

He eliminated Federer in the quarterfinals, his only win on a Top 10 this season, then Berrettini in the semis. But he was almost non-existent in the final, being far too friable against the Medvedev wall.

At the end of this tournament, the Russian will pass third - before Federer - in the Race, this ranking on the year which determines the eight best qualified players for the Masters of London (10-17 November). His place is there, but Zverev, who won the Masters last year, is not there yet.

The German is 7th in the Race, ahead of Matteo Berrettini. Both players are qualified in the current state, but still with the program including the last Masters 1000 of the year, in Paris (28 October-3 November), and they are threatened by 5 players still in the race.

It is Roberto Bautista (9th), overtaken by Berrettini thanks to his half in Shanghai, David Goffin (10th), Fabio Fognini (11th), Kei Nishikori (12th), who is injured and has not played since US Open, and Gael Monfils (13th).

Only 355 points separate Berrettini and Monfils, while Paris can bring up to 1000 in case of title.

© 2019 AFP