ATP Finals: Djokovic wins in a nail-biting match against Medvedev

• Novak Djokovic survived a lung-busting three-set marathon
• Djokovic wants to tie Federer’s record of six year-end titles
• Medvedev beat Djokovic in the tie-break to equalise

Novak Djokovic survived a lung-busting three-set marathon against Daniil Medvedev on Friday to keep his ATP Finals title hopes alive.

The Serbian pushed himself to his boundaries against Medvedev, winning 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(2) to top the Red Group with a 3-0 record and handed the 2020 winner his third straight third-set tie-break loss at the event.

Djokovic wants to tie Federer’s record of six year-end titles. The 2015 champion will collect 4,740,300 dollars if he goes undefeated in Turin.

“This match against one of the greatest rivals I have today is very important, regardless of the fact that I had qualified already. I really wanted to win,” said Djokovic after his three-hour, 11-minute victory.

“Daniil and I have had some battles in the past and I knew coming into the match today that it was going to be his last match of the season and he wouldn’t want to finish with a loss. I started off very well. [I] had chances in the second [set], had some break points but he played very well in those decisive points. He was playing really quick. I didn’t feel physically well in the third set and struggled a lot. It is a battle and it is a fight.” “Being able to find the last drop of energy to come back into the match. At 4-5, I managed to read his serve and anticipate well and got myself in a good position. I started off very well in the tie-break. Tough three matches for him, losing 7-6 in the third in all three matches. It is not easy, but he is an amazing player. I have a lot of respect for him and what a great battle,” he added.

Both players hit accurate and powerful groundstrokes to pull each other around in Turin. Djokovic won the first set flawlessly, but Medvedev won the second on his fourth set point to force a third.

The seventh seed prevailed in the decider, rallying from a breakdown to earn his 40th tour-level win of the season.

The 35-year-old will face Taylor Fritz in the semifinals on Saturday, after spending over three hours on the court against Medvedev. The winner of Tsitsipas vs. Rublev will play Casper Ruud.

The former world No. 1 has won 16 of his last 17 matches, including Tel Aviv and Astana.

Djokovic dominated Medvedev. He timed the ball well from the baseline and waited patiently to win the first set.

After missing breakpoint chances at 1-1 and 4-4 in the second set, the Serbian saved three set points at 4-5 to hold, fending off the last one with a 33-shot forehand winner.

Medvedev beat Djokovic in the tie-break to equalise. In a 15-minute third-set game, the fourth seed broke for 5-4. Djokovic broke Medvedev’s serve to win.

The Serbian won the tie-break to improve to 8-4 against Medvedev in ATP head-to-head matches.

Before reaching the final last season, Medvedev won the ATP Finals in 2020. The 26-year-old defeated Jannik Sinner in an epic round-robin match last year. This year, Medvedev finished round-robin play 0-3.

The fourth seed finishes 45-19. He reached the Australian Open final and won in Los Cabos and Vienna.

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