Sinner brings Medvedev to his knees in latest thriller

The great victor of the Erste Bank Open 2023 is called Jannik Sinner. The 22-year-old Italian beat defending champion Russian top seed Daniil Medvedev 7:6(7), 4:6, 6:3 in the final on Sunday afternoon in a thrilling tennis match that lasted 3:04 hours and thus won his 10th IBF title. ATP, fourth this season.

An epic exchange of blows at the highest level

In the €2,559,790 final of the ATP 500, the 9,600 spectators at the newly sold-out Wiener Stadthalle were subjected to an epic exchange of blows at the highest level from the first rally onwards, with Medvedev, third in the world, winning. World rankings, break 3 in the first group: 1 lead. But Sinner responded immediately by returning serve to zero, saving a set point before and in the tiebreak and eventually getting a better ending for himself after using a set point in the second set, 9:7. In the second section, Medvedev had a break to score 3:2 and 5:2. Losing the defending champion’s serve to score 5:3 is no longer of decisive importance; Medvedev took advantage of the second chance on serve to tie the set.

In the third round, the final match could no longer be surpassed in terms of tension. In the fourth game, after 20 minutes of play, Sinner used his ninth break point to take a 3-1 lead. It didn’t take long for Medvedev’s response to arrive in the second half to make it 2:3, but the tournament’s second-place finisher immediately cleared the ball away from Medvedev to make it 4:2. Sinner was then able to confirm the break by winning his serve for a 5-2 lead. Medvedev saved the match point with his serve, but after one game the match ended after 3:04 hours after Sinner managed to reach 15:40 with his serve.

Sinner: “I will definitely remember the match for a long time”

“I will definitely remember this match for a long time. It was a very tough match mentally and physically. It was definitely one of my best matches, and it’s hard to say if it’s the best because every match is different. It was a very tough match,” said Sinner, who claimed his 10th ATP title with 500. A point for the world rankings and a check for €450,650: “But to play at this level in the final is very special.” At the awards ceremony, the South Tyrolean promised to return to Vienna next year, and in the subsequent press conference he made it even more clear: “It’s a great tournament; And they helped me with a wild card when I got out of the tournament.” From the standings I would not have entered the field before. People always took good care of me in Vienna. I feel very comfortable here. My family and many friends were there this week. “The tournament will be too “Very important for me in the coming years.”

Given the high level of the final, Medvedev’s disappointment with the defeat was limited: “Overall, it was a great match from which we can gain a lot of self-confidence for the future. In the third set I felt a little more tired. “I felt a little more tired,” said Medvedev, who also gave an excellent report for the tournament. Erste Bank Open: “He was still able to play great balls on the run, which is no longer the case for me. I love Vienna, the tournament, the food, the hotel, and I always play well here, so maybe I’ll come back again.

Ram/Salisbury win doubles for the second time

Victory in the doubles competition went to American Rajeev Ram (ATP Doubles 7) and Briton Joe Salisbury (ATP Doubles 8). In the title battle, the three-time US Open winners in a row defeated American duo Nathaniel Lamons (ATP Doubles 28) and Jackson Withrow (ATP Doubles 26) 6:4 in the all-important tie-break after being 3:6 behind. , 5:7, 12:10, they used their fourth match point and celebrated their second joint coup in Vienna after 2019.