Inspiring victory: how Medvedev won the tournament in Los Cabos and interrupted a series of five defeats in the finals

Daniil Medvedev more than successfully opened the hard season.

The Russian, who has not been on the court since June, won the ATP 250 tournament in Los Cabos, Mexico.

In the final match, he defeated Briton Cameron Norrie in two sets - 7:5, 6:0.

This is already the 14th title in Daniil's career and the first one in the rank of the leader of the world ranking.

The domestic tennis player finally broke a long series of defeats in the final matches.

It lasted from September 2021, when he became the winner of the US Open.

During this time, Daniil reached the finals five times, but remained without trophies.

So, he missed victories at last year's Masters in Paris, at the ATP Finals in Turin, at the Australian Open, in Hertogenbosch and Halle 2022.

In Los Cabos, Medvedev went through the grid quite easily, without giving up a single set to his opponents.

The most intense was the semifinal match with Miomir Ketsmanovich, where the Russian was inferior in the course of the first game 1:4 and was able to pull it out only in a tie-break.

Moreover, he took the extra game to zero, and then led 3-0 in the second set, which, apparently, demoralized the enemy.

The Serb failed to return the game to its previous course, the match ended with a score of 7:6 (7:0), 6:1.

The final match also did not become an easy walk for the first racket of the world, despite the score.

Norrie was the reigning trophy winner at Los Cabos and was determined to defend the title no matter what.

In the first set, the Briton put up decent resistance to a more eminent opponent, twice winning back Daniil's breaks, including when the score was 5:4 and 40:15 on the Russian's serve.

It might have seemed that Medvedev's nerves faltered after that, but in the next game he had an unexpected opportunity to take a breath and relieve stress.

In one of the draws, Daniil injured his hand on the court, and because of the oozing blood, he had to invite a doctor to the court.

After the break, the domestic athlete perked up and brought the set to victory.

Now Norrie looked confused, who in the second set did not manage to take a single game.

At the end of the match, the Briton admitted

that he did everything possible to win, but the opponent was too good.

Daniel admitted that the resulting abrasion played into his hands.

“I played well in that game with the score 5-4.

I realized that I just needed to stay in the game.

I think in fact the bleeding even helped me a little - I began to control myself a little better.

After that, I just managed to play well, and today that was enough, ”said the tennis player.

According to him, he played well all the matches of the tournament, but the final always stands apart in this series.

“You play with the best player of the week in it, so it's always a high level match.

I am very glad that I was able to show a fairly good game.

It wasn't easy.

Cam is an amazing tennis player, so the match was really tense.

When you confront him, you understand that you need to fight for every point,” Medvedev stressed.

Honored coach of Russia Vladimir Kamelzon congratulated his compatriot and his team on the trophy and noted that they are on the right track.

“Good, well-deserved win.

It confirms that Russia is a country of winners.

Each such speech shows that we are not broken, despite the sanctions and oppression.

Daniil maintains his image as the first player in the world and inspires us, coaches, professionals and just fans to continue playing tennis and preparing children.

He is our flagship, we look up to him, and I'm just proud of this guy, ”the specialist said in a conversation with RT.

He also noted that it was extremely important for the first racket to take the title after five defeats in the finals.

“You need to understand that Medvedev's rivals, having lost, do not lose anything.

And when they win, they get prestige, points, money, and so on.

Therefore, everyone goes to matches with him with a special attitude, they give everything to the maximum.

And any tennis player from the top twenty and even fifty dollars of the rating plays tennis well, knows his business.

Therefore, Daniil, like Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, as Roger Federer had a hard time, but to keep the first line of the rating, you need to win everyone.

And he is moving towards this, ”Kamelzon emphasized.

In turn, the President of the Russian Tennis Federation Shamil Tarpishchev called the tournament in Los Cabos preparatory and stressed that Medvedev still has a lot to work on for the US Open.

“Of course, any victory gives positive emotions, confirms the level.

This is naturally a plus.

As for the match with Norrie, Daniel is a higher class than the Brit.

In the first set, Danya lost two of his serves, won three - this is also not very good.

There is something to work on, a lot of things need to be done to be in optimal condition, ”Championship” quotes Tarpishchev.

Thanks to reaching the final in Mexico, the Russian secured his leadership in the ATP rankings for at least another five weeks - until the end of the US Open, where he will defend the title.

Before that, the first racket of the world plans two more Masters series tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati, where he will be able to gain game experience without undue psychological pressure, including with more serious opponents than in Los Cabos.

So, in the second round match in Montreal, he can meet Wimbledon 2022 finalist Nick Kyrgios if the Australian beats the Argentinean Sebastian Baes at the start of the tournament.

The duel with the most outrageous tennis player of the tour will certainly be a difficult test for Medvedev, because Kiryos is known for his provocations on the court, and Daniil is not always able to cope with emotions.

But even this will benefit the first racket of the world, given that at the US Open his psychological state will be extremely important for him.

As you know, on the courts of New York, spectators meet the Russian with hostility.

It's all about a long history, when in 2019, in a match with Feliciano Lopez, Daniil treated the ball ugly, threw the racket towards the judge and veiledly showed him the middle finger.

But, in spite of everything, Medvedev has a good chance at the final Grand Slam tournament.

It will also play into his hands that last year's finalist Novak Djokovic will most likely miss the tournament due to his refusal to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

In addition, Rafael Nadal has not yet fully recovered from a rupture of the abdominal muscles, due to which he withdrew from Wimbledon, and Alexander Zverev is treating an ankle ligament injury received at Rolland Garros.

At the same time, domestic experts fully admit that Daniil may end the year not on the first line of the world ranking, but do not consider this a problem.

“He has already immortalized himself.

Daniil will go down in tennis history as the greatest Russian tennis player.

This is clear.

It's okay if he suddenly stumbles at the US Open.

Finishing the season in the top ten of the world is very worthy, ”Andrey Chesnokov said on this occasion.