Former world no. 1 Daniil Medvedev will chase the title at the ATP 500 event in Almaty. The Russian arrived in Kazakhstan following a deep run at the Shanghai Masters.
The 2nd seed defeated three rivals to reach the title clash, becoming the second active player with 40 ATP finals after Novak Djokovic. Daniil will try to end his terrible streak and lift an ATP trophy for the first time since May 2023!
He has played 51 ATP tournaments without success, hoping to end that terrible run in Almaty. In the semi-final, Medvedev ousted James Duckworth 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 in two hours and 12 minutes.
The Aussie denied two set points in the opener and stole the tie break 10-8. However, Daniil took charge in sets two and three, serving well and providing three breaks to remain on the title course.
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Daniil outplayed his rival behind the first and second serve. He denied the only break point offered to James and grabbed three breaks from nine opportunities. Both players hit more winners than unforced errors.
The Russian stood on a 41-28 ratio, hitting more service winners than his rival and outplaying him from the baseline after dominated mid-range and most extended exchanges.
Duckworth saved a break point in the first game of the match, and Medvedev mirrored that in the next one. The Aussie saved a break point in the 11th game with a service winner and stayed in touch until the tie break.
He wasted a set point at 5-6 and faced two. Daniil missed the first with a loose backhand, and James denied the second with a forehand winner. The lower-ranked player fired another forehand at 9-8 to wrap up the first part of the duel.
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Medvedev barely lost a couple of points in his games in the second set and kept the pressure on the other side. He passed Duckworth with a forehand down the line winner in the sixth game for the first break of the match.
The favorite landed a service winner at 5-3, wrapping up the set and forcing a decider after an hour and 34 minutes. The Russian provided four fine holds in the final set and broke the rival's resistance.
Daniil broke at 15 in the first game with a forced error and cemented the lead with a service winner in the next one. The 2nd seed held at love with a backhand down the line winner in the fourth game for 3-1.
He closed the sixth game with an ace and provided another break in the next one for a 5-2 lead. Medvedev sealed the deal with a backhand winner in game eight, moving closer to his first ATP title since May 2023.
