That’s all from the ATP Finals today. Thanks very much for following and we will be back tomorrow.
Novak: I haven’t applied for the Council, I was nominated by other players, that’s how it works. I don’t see any conflict with being on the Council and the PTPA, there is a responsibility when you are nominanted, it means you have trust and credibility.
— Saša Ozmo (@ozmo_sasa) November 18, 2020
Dominant from start to finish 👌
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 18, 2020
Some inspired tennis from @DaniilMedwed against Djokovic!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/NkbMafWaIM
Singles order of play:
Thursday:
2pm: Dominic Thiem vs Andrey Rublev
8pm: Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Friday:
2pm: Novak Djokovic vs Alexander Zverev
8pm: Daniil Medvedev vs Diego Schwartzman
We have had some nightmare scenarios over the past 10 years at the O2 Arena, with some round robin group stages being decided by game percentage. The final event here will be far less complicated. The winner of Nadal and Tsitsipas will advance on Thursday along with Thiem, then the winner of Djokovic and Zverev will advance on Friday with Medvedev.
ATP Finals SFs
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) November 18, 2020
[3] Dominic Thiem vs. [1] Novak Djokovic or [5] Alexander Zverev
[4] Daniil Medvedev vs. [2] Rafael Nadal or [6] Stefanos Tsitsipas
Djokovic-Nadal now only possible in the final.
Between his recent results against Medvedev, tough encounters with Pablo Carreno Busta and even the Roland Garros final, there are signs that Djokovic at his current age just isn’t quite as comfortable and patient against players who can make things so physical. While Medvedev was ready to grind out every single point today, Djokovic only really lasted until 3-3. He bailed out of too many physical exchanges with drop shots and he constantly overhit against an opponent who gave away nothing.
Still, Medvedev’s level today was astonishing. He served out of a tree, he neutralised Djokovic’s serve as well as anyone on hard courts in quite a long time and he gave nothing away. His ability to flip rallies from defence to offence and inject pace at unexpected moments is elite and will serve him very well in the future.
Medvedev is now through, while Djokovic will face Alexander Zverev on Friday. The winner will join Medvedev in the semi-final.
Daniil Medvedev has now won 3 of the last 4 matches he has played against Novak Djokovic. Not bad.
Daniil Medvedev:
“Always, I like to play Novak, first of all because he is one of the greatest champions in the history. When I was 8 years old, I was already watching him on TV winning grand slams, he was still young.”
One of Medvedev’s few unforced errors today. He turned 8 years old in 2004. Djokovic won his first slam in 2008.
Daniil Medvedev dismantles Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-3
Medvedev closes off a frightening performance with a final serve-forehand 1-2 punch. The best returner of all time managed to generate just 1 break point all match. Incredible.
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Novak Djokovic 3-6 3-5* Daniil Medvedev
Djokovic eases through a good service game, forcing Medvedev to serve out the match. He played a lovely defensive backhand down-the-line winner and then a serve-forehand 1-2 punch. The next game will be a heck of a lot more difficult.
Novak Djokovic 3-6 *2-5 Daniil Medvedev
The serving from Medvedev right now is just astounding. With an unreturned serve and two aces, the Russian held to love in 64 seconds.
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Novak Djokovic 3-6 2-4* Daniil Medvedev
Djokovic keeps himself in touch with a quick hold, finishing with aplomb. At 30-15, he forced a Medvedev error with a tremendous defensive backhand down-the-line. He finished at 40-15 with a quick serve-forehand 1-2.
Novak Djokovic 3-6 *1-4 Daniil Medvedev
Djokovic finally got to 30-30 on Medvedev’s serve and put some pressure on the Russian’s shoulders. How did Medvedev react? At 30-30, he played three incredible backhands in a row, retrieving a great Djokovic return with the first and then drilling two in a row to end the point. A Djokovic forehand error at 40-30 handed Medvedev another game.
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Novak Djokovic 3-6 1-3* Daniil Medvedev
Djokovic finally breaks Medvedev’s run of games at 7 with a hold to 30. It took some effort. He started the game with a double fault and a forehand error to immediately fall down 15-30. This time he responded well, unloading on his forehand and finishing consecutive points with overhead winners.
Novak Djokovic 3-6 *0-3 Daniil Medvedev
At 30-30, Djokovic chased down a Medvedev drop shot and played a beauty of a counter dropper to create his first break point of the match. Djokovic attempted another drop shot, which still isn’t working when he initiates them, and Medvedev easily swept it up with a forehand winner. At deuce, Medvedev found consecutive aces to hold, slamming the door behind him.
Medvedev has now won 7 games in a row.
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Novak Djokovic 3-6 0-2* Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev has constructed a wall on his side of the court and Djokovic is getting frustrated. From 40-30, Djokovic threw in two consecutive backhand errors to face another break point. He saved it with an assertive point, then two more forehand errors followed. These errors are not in isolation - Medvedev is forcing Djokovic to hit through him point after point and it is so tough.
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Unforced errors:
Djokovic: 18
Medvedev: 6
Djokovic completely lost his cool and patience, 3DFs to end the set. Medvedev far better player in the set, main difference being the serve, Novak not getting any easy points. #Nittoatpfinals
— Saša Ozmo (@ozmo_sasa) November 18, 2020
Novak Djokovic 3-6 *0-1 Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev opens the second set as he departed the first, throwing down some monster serves to hold to love in 60 seconds. Reminder, Djokovic still has not generated a break point today.
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After an extremely competitive and high quality start from both, Novak Djokovic’s level badly fell off towards the end of the first set. He must regroup. Still, a supreme first set performance from Daniil Medvedev. The rallies are gruelling, long and so tactical and he is present in every single one.
Daniil Medvedev takes the first set 6-3 against Novak Djokovic
A rattled Djokovic threw in two double faults and an easy forehand error en-route to find himself deuce. At deuce, he attempted two drop shots, a shot that has not worked at all today, and netted the second. He threw in another double fault on game point. A horror game.
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Novak Djokovic *3-5 Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev consolidates the break with ease, rolling through an easy hold to 15. At 30-0, he found an unreturned serve, then at 40-15 his deep crosscourt forehand elicited an error from Djokovic.
Novak Djokovic 3-4* Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev takes the first break of the match after a marathon 11 minute game! Djokovic double faulted to fall down 15-40 for a second time today, which he again brushed aside with ease. From 15-40, he saved the first break point found an unreturned serve and then a quick serve-forehand combo.
What followed was an endless series of high quality exchanges. Throughout the game, Djokovic looked to step forward and dictate, constantly changing directions with ease as he moved Medvedev around the court.
But Medvedev was right there with him. After a long series of game points, Medvedev finally generated his third break point by sweeping up a poor Djokovic drop shot after a long exchange. He took the break by retrieving an overhead then moving onto the attack, finally forcing a Djokovic forehand error. What a game.
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Novak Djokovic *3-3 Daniil Medvedev
A quick hold to 15 for Medvedev. At 15-15, he demonstrated his ability to flip defence into attack so seamlessly, injecting pace into a forehand down the line and surprising Djokovic. At 30-15, he slammed down an unreturned serve. He closed off the game with a quick serve and backhand 1-2 combination. He is serving pretty well so far.
Novak Djokovic 3-2* Daniil Medvedev
A much easier hold from Djokovic, who moves back ahead with more industrious play. At 15-0, he played the most gorgeous drop volley and then he closed off the game with an unreturned serve.
Novak Djokovic *2-2 Daniil Medvedev
After Djokovic’s first deuce game, Medvedev comes through a 7 minute hold of his own, taking it on his 6th game point. Each time he moved to within a point of holding serve, Djokovic landed an absurd return or crushed an easy forehand down-the-line.
Finally, Medvedev found an unreturned serve at deuce to bring up game point No 6, closing it off with a great forehand winner from a Djokovic drop shot. This is tough.
Novak Djokovic 2-1* Daniil Medvedev
Djokovic overcomes the first challenge of the day, surviving a 15-40 deficit to hold. Djokovic fell down 15-40 after Medvedev swept up a poor drop shot at 15-15 and then Djokovic sprayed a forehand well long. Djokovic saved both break points with authority, winning the second after an absurd 30 shot rally. Two forehand errors from Medvedev followed, allowing Djokovic to skip to his seat having won the first mini-battle.
Novak Djokovic *1-1 Daniil Medvedev
No problems for Medvedev in his opening service game. He slammed down two unreturned serves and a quick serve-forehand combo en-route to a quick hold to 15.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev serves to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images
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Novak Djokovic 1-0* Daniil Medvedev
Djokovic eases through his opening service game with a hold to 30 behind some solid serving. After reaching 40-15, he just dropped a loose backhand into the net. He responded with an easy ace down the T.
Andy Murray prediction for tonight's match: 'I'm going for Novak... Novak for me is the best player in the world, he's won on this court so many times. If he's switched on and into it mentally, it's going to be hard for Daniil.'
— George Bellshaw (@BellshawGeorge) November 18, 2020
The players have arrived on-court. Novak Djokovic will serve first.
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[7] @JojoMelzer/@ERogerVasselin d. [6] John Peers/Michael Venus 2-6 7-6(4) [12-10] at #NittoATPFinals.
— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) November 18, 2020
Both semi-finalists from Group Bob Bryan will be determined on Friday.
Granollers/Zeballos (2-0) vs. Melzer/Roger-Vasselin (1-1)
Pavic/Soares (1-1) vs. Peers/Venus (0-2).
Q. One thing I was impressed with today was your defense. Would you say you won more points by playing great defense today and that might help you against Novak in your next match?
DANIIL MEDVEDEV: Yeah, I’m looking forward to match with Novak, because I think in these conditions we have here we can have a lot of long rallies. We are both going to run well. I like to play against Novak. We have tough matches, you know, I think. Looking forward to it.
Yet, as I say, no, it’s very strange because when we are practicing on center court, I was practicing with Dominic, with Rublev, it felt really fast and the serve was going fast, so there were not so many rallies.
And today I felt like even the many, many of my good shots or his good shots they were like so easy to reach. That’s why I was good in defense. I was all over the court just because I had the opportunity. Felt really slow the conditions today, so, yeah, that’s why I could be good in defense and that helped me of course to win the match.
Q. Can you elaborate please on the strangeness of having no crowd here at the O2? And why did you celebrate to the empty stands like you normally did? I thought you might skip that because there are no fans here.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it was very strange, to say the least. I mean, it felt like a practice session, in a way.
But of course chair umpire calling the score, you already feel you’re part of the official match. My mindset hasn’t changed much in terms of my approach to the match and what I need to do and how I focus.
But I do miss the crowd. I think that’s one of the most important aspects of professional tennis of why we play this game and why we travel so much.
You know, hopefully this is only temporary. It’s unfortunate that there is no crowd in the O2 Arena for the last year of the ATP Finals here. This has been one of the most exciting arenas to play for a tennis player. The atmosphere was always electric, and the crowd was always loud and really into matches.
It’s unfortunate. I really miss them, of course probably as anybody else.
Why I celebrated? Because that’s my celebration. I mean, that’s my also gratitude to the court and to this opportunity to be able to compete. You know, even though it might sound like a phrase, but I try to remind myself that don’t take things for granted, and that’s kind of one of the routines that reminds me of the things that I have to be aware of.
So even though there was no crowd in stands, I know there was a lot of people watching it on TV, so that was me sharing that emotion with them.
Medvedev 🤝 Djokovic
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 18, 2020
A nice moment between @DjokerNole & @DaniilMedwed ahead of their clash in London#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/ugjWWittHR
Head to head:
Novak Djokovic leads Daniil Medvedev 4-2.
- Since 2019 the pair are tied at 2-2
- Medvedev has won two of their last three meetings.
This match-up is always interesting, particularly because it provided one of the early clear glimpses of what Daniil Medvedev is all about. Ranked 19th, he faced Novak Djokovic in the fourth round of Roland Garros and he decided he was just going to see if he could irritate Djokovic for as long as possible.
What followed was a long, exhausting four set match filled with absurd, endless rallies as Djokovic looked tired by set two. He went on to win it in four sets and would win the title, but it was a clear message from the Russian. He won the next two times they faced each other.
Preamble
Hello! Welcome to day 4 of our coverage at the ATP finals, where we have a big match between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev on the agenda today as both players look to finish top of their groups. The two men arrive in their second match of the tournament in top form with Djokovic eviscerating Diego Schwartzman on Monday before Medvedev brushed aside Alexander Zverev with ease.
For Medvedev, the past few weeks have been a long time coming. After a wildly impressive breakthrough year in 2019, Medvedev had fallen into a bit of a sophomore slump this year, his run to the US Open semi-final previously the only result that really lived up to the standard he set in 2020. 10 days ago in Paris, things slipped into place as he won his third Masters 1000 title, establishing a 6 match winning streak.
If there was any doubt about Djokovic’s form after he t̶a̶n̶k̶e̶d̶ lost 6-2 6-1 to Lorenzo Sonego, he scuppered them with his dominance over Schwartzman on Monday. This is a strange year and a couple of his results reflect that, but he clearly remains the best player in the world by a considerable distance on a week to week basis. We’ll see if Medvedev can match him for one day.
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