In a rematch of the Paris 2020 Masters final Alexander Zverev turned the tide on his rival – and snapped a personal five-match losing streak against him – to earn his place in the semi-finals.
Zverev defeated Medvedev 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), saving a pair of match points to win a tense, dramatic affair that had something for everyone.
There was a Halloween scare late in the opening set, with Zverev going down and Medvedev coming to his rescue (see injury and aftermath, below).
At the end of the third game, Zverev saved two match points, 4-5.
“The thing I’m most pleased with is the match points saved, the way I continued to be brave and in the important moments, winning the match myself,” Zverev said in his on-court interview.
And there were the usual long, dramatic, double-digit rallies that favor these two base players, each earning their fair share.
Medvedev looked well on his way to a sixth straight victory over Zverev, leading by a set and a break, but he lost control of the match when Zverev stormed back to level at 1-all in the second set. From there his mood deteriorated, and eventually Zverev broke through to force a decider, breaking for 5-3 and serving the set at love.
After another exchange of breaks in the third, Zverev had to fight his way out of big danger before eventually earning a hard-fought victory in goal.
In the end it was Zverev who won for the eighth time in 22 meetings against Medvedev. The defending champion extends his winning streak in Paris to eight, but life won’t get any easier on Saturday as he faces Jannik Sinner for a place in the final.
The pair have split their four meetings, with Sinner winning against Zverev in last week’s Vienna final, 7-5 in the third.
From one challenge to the next, Zverev is happy to still be alive in Paris and gaining confidence as he goes.
“Daniil is kind of my kryptonite, I don’t like playing him,” Zverev said. “He’s someone who’s had my number for the last two years. I’m very happy with the win for sure. Against Jannik, we had a fantastic game last Sunday. I’m happy to be on the pitch with him again. I hope we share another great game.”
