ATP Tennis | Medvedev Upsets Djokovic in Monte-Carlo, Nadal & Fognini In Semis

Daniil Medvedev of Russia in action during his quarterfinal match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, 19 April 2019. EPA-EFE/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

 

 

By Ricky Dimon

 

Daniil Medvedev was the only player to take a set off Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open few months ago. The Russian did a lot more than that at the Monte-Carlo Masters on Friday afternoon.

 

Medvedev stunned Djokovic 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 to reach the first Masters 1000 semifinal of his career. Combined with the world No. 14’s consistency from the back of the court, Djokovic turned in another underwhelming performance that has been the norm over that past few tournaments–and it sent the world No. 1 packing after two hours and 20 minutes of play.

 

“It’s definitely the best match of my career,” said Medvedev. “Not in terms of level of tennis, but definitely by the result. (It is my) first Masters 1000 semifinal, beating No. 1 for the first time in my life; just amazing.

 

“He played worse than he did the times before and also I’m getting more experienced. I’m starting to make these top guys know that it’s tough to play against me. In Australia he was at his best, but I made him run for the win and I was happy about my game. Here I knew if I kept up the level I had in Australia I would have my chances.”

 

Next up for the 23-year-old is unseeded Dusan Lajovic, who continued his surprising run with a straight-set defeat of qualifier Lorenzo Sonego.

 

Saturday’s other semifinal will feature Rafael Nadal and Fabio Fognini, who are set for their 15th meeting. Nadal leads the head-to-head series 11-3 and his is 6-0 in their last six. Interestingly, though, two of Fognini’s three victories have come on clay: 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the 2015 Rio de Janeiro semis and 6-4, 7(6) a couple of months later in Barcelona. They last collided at the 2018 Rome Masters, where Nadal prevailed 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

 

Draw

Daniil Medvedev…..d. Sousa…..d. Albot…..d. Tsitsipas…..d. Djokovic
Dusan Lajovic…..d. Jaziri…..d. Goffin…..d. Thiem…..d. Sonego

Fabio Fognini…..d. Rublev….W/O…..d. Zverev…..d. Coric
Rafael Nadal…..BYE…..d. Bautista Agut…..d. Dimitrov…..d. Pella

 

Seeds

1. Novak Djokovic: l. to Medvedev in QF
2. Rafael Nadal: vs. Fognini in SF
3. Alexander Zverev: l. to Fognini in R3
4. Dominic Thiem: l. to Lajovic in R3
5. Kei Nishikori: l. to Herbert  in R2
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas: l. to Medvedev in R3
7. Marin Cilic: l. to Pella in R2
8. Karen Khachanov: l. to Sonego in R2
9. Borna Coric: l. to Fognini in QF
10. Daniil Medvedev: vs. Lajovic in SF
11. Marco Cecchinato: l. to Pella in R3
12. Nikoloz Basilashvili: l. to Fucsovics in R1
13. Fabio Fognini: vs. Nadal in SF
14. Gael Monfils: WD
15. Denis Shapovalov: l to. Struff in R1
16. David Goffin: l. to Lajovic in R2
17. Edmund: l. to Schwartzman in R1

 

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.