Last November, when Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic squared off in the final of the Paris Masters, few would have imagined it would be almost a year before they faced each other again.
Medvedev had recently won his first grand slam title, defeating Djokovic in the US Open final to thwart the Serb’s bid for a calendar-year grand slam, and as Djokovic exacted a measure of revenge with a three-set victory in Paris-Bercy, it seemed likely their rivalry would dominate the men’s game in 2022.
As we now know, things didn’t quite work out that way. Djokovic, steadfast in his refusal to take a Covid vaccine, was unable to defend his Australian Open title or enter the US, and has accordingly played a limited schedule. Medvedev, meanwhile, suffered a crushing defeat from two sets to love up against Rafael Nadal in the final of the Australian Open and – further hindered by a hernia operation that prevented him from playing at Roland Garros, and by the ban on Russian players that meant he was unable to compete at Wimbledon – has barely looked the same player since.
Accordingly, the Astana Open marked just the second tournament all season that the pair have even featured in the same draw. Fate is not yet done with them, however, as Medvedev’s abrupt retirement from a dramatic and absorbing semi-final meeting demonstrated. Having played near flawless tennis to take a one-set lead, the Russian stood within two points of victory in the second-set tiebreak, only to dump a straightforward volley into the net. If that left Medvedev slack-jawed with amazement, his astonishment was nothing beside that of Djokovic when his opponent, having sent an attempted lob long to leave the match level after an hour and 46 minutes, promptly shook hands a few minutes later, citing an adductor injury.
“I’m still surprised that he retired the match, he looked completely fine,” said Djokovic, the fourth seed, who went through with the score level at 4-6, 7-6 (8-6). “Maybe last seven or eight points I have seen him move slightly slower, but I mean it’s a shock, honestly. I was ready for a third-set battle.
“I really hope that his injury is nothing too serious. I know Daniil, he’s a great guy, he’s a fighter, he’s a big competitor, he wouldn’t retire a match if he didn’t feel that he couldn’t continue, or [that he would] worsen his injury. He told me that he pulled the adductor muscle in his leg.
“It was such a close match, particularly in the second set, and I would say he was probably the better player on the court [in] both sets. I was fighting and trying to find a way. I found a way to win the second. I’m really sad, in a way, for the tournament – and for the people who were enjoying this battle, and for Daniil – that it had to end this way.”
It was a clear-sighted appraisal by Djokovic, whose efforts to disrupt Medvedev’s rhythm with a combination of short slices, drop shots and advances to the net initially floundered in the face of the Russian’s quicksilver movement and relentless consistency. As the Russian performed a passable impression of a human backboard, making just three unforced errors in the opening set, Djokovic was forced to draw on all his famed resilience and belligerence.
With Medvedev serving to stay in the second set at 4-5, Djokovic was warned after playfully tossing his racket in the direction of an irretrievable backhand. The racket went sailing into the stands and, although no harm was done, it was a reckless act, one that recalled not only a similar incident at the Tokyo Olympics last summer but also Djokovic’s disqualification from the US Open in 2020 after he accidentally struck a line judge with a ball. He nonetheless advances to a second final in as many weeks, following his victory over Marin Cilic in Tel Aviv, while Medvedev will wait to learn the extent of the damage.
“It’s the second time in my life I retired like this with a pulled muscle,” said Medvedev. “On the second point of the tiebreak, I felt a little bit [of a] strange pop in my adductor. I first thought maybe it is cramp and after the point I was like, `No, probably not a cramp.’
“During the tie-break, I felt I can play like five, 10 more points, but that’s it. If I play one more set, you can do it, but you can probably miss half a year instead of one month.”
In the first semi-final, Stefanos Tsitsipas came through 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 against Andrey Rublev of Russia. Having started the stronger, Rublev, seeded fifth, slowly imploded as he was reeled in by the Greek, repeatedly whacking himself in the thigh with his racket after dropping serve to concede the second set. The Russian continued to berate himself in the decider, repeatedly voicing his frustration to his box.
“It went my way towards the end,” said Tsitsipas, the third seed. “I stayed completely within my game.
“It was not easy, being a set down. To have to deal with a very good opponent on the other side of the net made it an extremely physically battle. I am pleased with myself for being so determined to make it work so well.”
Tsitsipas will be seeking his first title at ATP 500 level after eight losing final appearances.
“I wouldn’t say I have choked in any of them,” said the 24-year-old. “I’d say it’s just bad luck that I haven’t been able to get a victory in one of them.”
In Tokyo, Taylor Fritz defeated Denis Shapovalov of Canada 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 to reach the final of the Japan Open. The American will face his compatriot Frances Tiafoe, who came through 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 against Soonwoo Kwon of South Korea.