The Russian, who for his part was eliminated regardless of the result of this last match, was the first surprised.
"Before the match, I wasn't too motivated. So I struggled at the start. But during the game, I realized that he was 100%. So I said to myself +OK , we are going to play, we are going to have fun +”, commented the winner of the 2020 edition and finalist last year, who will not have won a single match this year.
Because after 3h11 of a fight where he drew deep from his physical and mental resources, Djokovic won 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/2).
"I didn't feel very well physically, but I fought, admitted the Serb. I'm really proud to have found the little energy I had left."
This burst of energy is all the more astonishing as he was sure to finish first in his group even before playing the match, thanks to his two victories against Stefanos Tsitsipas (3rd in the world) and Andrey Rublev (7th).
Who for Ruud?
The latter face off from 9:00 p.m. (GMT+1) to clinch second place in the qualifying group for the semi-finals.
The winner will play Saturday against Casper Ruud (4th) for a place in the final.
And stranger still, Djokovic knew before starting his match against Medvedev (5th) that he would play his semi-final the next day against Taylor Fritz (9th) who qualified on Thursday and had a day off...
"I don't know if I could have given up and played tomorrow. I didn't even think about it. I really wanted to win," explained the former world No.1.
Novak Djokovic on November 18, 2022 during his winning match against Daniil Medvedev at the ATP Masters in Turin.
"I don't know if I could have given up and played tomorrow. I didn't even think about it. I really wanted to win," said former world No.1 Marco BERTORELLO AFP
Undefeated in three group matches, Djokovic, currently ranked 8th in the ATP after a season truncated by his refusal of the anti-Covid vaccine, is the only player who can still win the tournament having had plenty of victories.
He would thus pocket the record gain on the ATP circuit of 4,740,300 dollars, at stake this year in Turin.
Above all, he is aiming for a sixth title in the Masters tournament to equal Roger Federer's record and a second big title this year, after Wimbledon, to show the emerging generation that at 35 he is still formidable.
On the edge of discomfort
Friday, Medvedev could see it: in the first set, Djokovic saved the only break point conceded on his face-off and managed the only break of the set to lead 5-3, serve for the win of the set and conclude without to shiver.
The Serb was much hotter in the second set where he saved three set points at 4-5, in a masterful way: an unstoppable serve-volley sequence, an ace and a winning cross forehand after a long exchange tense.
The two men came to the tiebreak where Medvedev closed the set, on his fourth set point in total and while his opponent seemed exhausted.
Novak Djokovic during a change of sides in his match against Daniil Medvedev on November 18, 2022 at the ATP Masters in Turin.
The Serb seemed on the verge of discomfort, trembling right hand Marco BERTORELLO AFP / Archives
When changing sides, Djokovic even seemed on the verge of discomfort, his right hand trembling, his head first buried in his towel, then he took off his shirt and poured a bottle of water on his head.
"It was just fatigue from a grueling battle. There is no illness, there was no particular area of the body affected. It was just general exhaustion from the long rallies and the length of the match", he commented, refusing "to go into details" so that it does not reach the ears of his opponents.
He then held until 4-4, but failed to convert any of the seven play points on his serve and allowed Medvedev to break and serve for the match.
Against all expectations, the Russian was unable to conclude and it was the Serb who quickly won the game to recover at 5-5 and conclude the tie break.
© 2022 AFP