The semifinal match of the Masters in Cincinnati between Daniil Medvedev and Andrei Rublev could, with significant reservations, be compared with the confrontation between David and Goliath.
Although the difference in class is not so great, the former made a great move and won a tournament of a similar category in Toronto last week.
Now he intended to win the USA for the second time in his career, to win the jubilee fifth Masters, and at the same time to close the gap with the leading in the ATP rankings Novak Djokovic.
Yes, and in Cincinnati, Daniel skated through the opponents, giving Mackenzie MacDonald, Grigor Dimitrov and Pablo-Carreno Buste a total of 12 games.
Rublev not only did not win a single "Masters", but only once reached the final.
In addition, the statistics of personal meetings with a compatriot was clearly not on his side.
The tennis players played each other four times, and in all cases Medvedev was stronger.
Moreover, Andrei did not take a single set from the second racket of the planet.
Moreover, two years ago, their paths crossed just in Cincinnati, and Daniel confidently took the upper hand in the quarterfinals (6: 2, 6: 3), and eventually got the first Masters.
And in 2021, the Russians came together at a similar stage of the Australian Open, and Medvedev also left no chances to his opponent - 7: 5, 6: 3, 6: 2.
However, some believed that Rublev had a chance of winning this time.
For example, this point of view was expressed by Evgeny Kafelnikov.
According to the Olympic champion, "in terms of playing qualities" Andrey is superior to his opponent, but he needs to believe in himself and not think about a series of defeats.
The tennis player himself stressed that he is always pleased to meet with a compatriot, since such matches show what else needs to be improved.
“As usual, it will be like a chess game - long rallies, when you have to fight for every ball.
Let's see, I hope, something interesting happens, ”said Rublev.
The victory at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, paired with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, should have given him additional confidence.
After all, Medvedev in Japan could not go beyond the singles quarterfinals and was left without medals.
Perhaps this is the only thing in which Andrey managed to surpass Daniel.
After the first set, few had doubts that Rublev would once again yield to his compatriot.
Medvedev practically turned his opponent out of the game.
He perfectly adapted to his serve and responded with unpleasant blows from sufficiently wide and deep positions.
As a result: two breaks and a confident lead in the score - 4: 1.
In addition, the fourth seeded tournament made too many unforced mistakes and was clearly nervous.
An illustrative episode took place in the fifth game, when he shot into the net at the decisive moment.
However, after that Andrei finally got angry and for the first time managed to take the opponent's serve.
But this was the only reason for him to be proud, since there was no continuation.
The athlete was not even able to consolidate the success.
Daniel stepped up the pace a little and immediately made another break, and then put an end to it - 6: 2 and won the 13th set in a row.
The last time he lost to Hubert Hurkach was in the Masters quarterfinals in Toronto.
Perhaps Medvedev would have easily brought the matter to another victory, but the course of the game was seriously influenced by a rather curious episode.
In the third game of the second game, the favorite, once again acting deeply, crashed into the camera at full speed.
She fell, and the athlete himself suffered an injury to his left wrist.
First, he asked if everything was fine with the operator, but then he kicked the lens and began to argue with the judge.
The tennis player complained that the organizers did not care about the safety of the participants and did not remove the cameras from the court, although he asked for this at the beginning of the tournament.
Finally, Medvedev promised to sue at all.
After the end of the game, he had to seek the help of a doctor.
Fortunately, after a medical time-out, Daniel still continued the match.
However, the game was not so easy for him.
He himself began to regularly make unforced blots.
Rublev, on the contrary, felt confident and slightly changed his tactics.
Andrey started attacking more actively from the back line, especially from the forehand.
At first, the opponent was still holding out thanks to the excellent serve.
In the entire game, he completed eight aces against only two at Rublev.
But the turning point was the eighth game, which lasted almost 15 minutes.
The seventh racket of the planet did not convert four break points, but on the fifth attempt he nevertheless achieved his goal, and then filed for a set - 6: 3.
Thus, for the first time in his career, Rublev won a game against a compatriot.
And the pain continued to interfere.
In the final set, he again called the doctor to the court.
True, this time the tennis player was complaining about his leg and right hand.
For the time being, the opponents exchanged won games on their own serve, but Rublev had more strength and health for the ending.
In addition, he managed to catch the courage.
As a result, when the score was 3: 3, he made two breaks at once and put a confident point.
So Andrey won the long-awaited victory over an uncomfortable opponent, and also reached the Masters final for the second time.
The first attempt was unsuccessful.
In April, the native of Moscow lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in Monte Carlo in a decisive confrontation.
In the USA, he will face off against Alexander Zverev, who in three sets turned out to be stronger than the Greek.
“Daniel usually acts from the opponent, as a rule, he does not dictate the game.
So I had to make him run, turning on the power at the right moments.
Therefore, I tried to find the perfect moment to move it and open the corners.
Now I beat him for the first time and it was as if I graduated from the university and received a diploma, ”the Russian said after the match.
If successful in the final, Rublev will become only the second domestic tennis player after Medvedev, who won in Cincinnati.