Medvedev Reigns In Rome, Wins First Career Crown On Clay

Daniil Medvedev, ATP Tour, Rome
Daniil Medvedev (photo: Adelchi FIoriti/FITP)

ROME/WASHINGTON, May 21, 2023 (by Michael Dickens)

Sunday’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia men’s singles title match in Rome marked the first time since 2004 that neither Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic were in the final. No worries. It didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of either finalist – World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev or No. 7 Holger Rune – both who mastered the competition and the pesky rain, which wreaked havoc on the tournament throughout this ATP Masters 1000 fortnight in the Italian capital city. They were deserving finalists.

By the end of the one-hour and 41-minute final on Campo Centrale before a crowd of 10,034, however, Medvedev reigned in Rome, winning 7-5, 7-5 over Rune. It was Medvedev’s first title on clay, his fifth crown of the season – most on the ATP Tour – and the 20th of his career. Now, Medvedev is at top of the table in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin. On Monday, he will rise to No. 2 in the ATP Rankings, ahead of the current No. 1 Djokovic, who will drop to No. 3 behind new No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz. Rune will move up to sixth.

The second-time meeting between No. 3 seed Medvedev and No. 7 seed Rune started an hour and 40 minutes late due to the wet conditions blanketing Foro Italico. Each was appearing in their first Italian Open final. Although Rune won their previous clash last month in the quarterfinal round of the Monte-Carlo Masters, this time it was Medvedev who gutted out victory. The triumph improved Medvedev, who was appearing in his third Masters 1000 final in 2023, to 39-5 this season. Meanwhile, the loss dropped Rune to 27-10, including 13-3 on clay.

The 27-year-old Russian put on a clean-hitting and consistent display of clay-court tennis against Rune, who was attempting to win his second career Masters 1000 title following his success in the Rolex Paris Masters last year over Djokovic. Twice, Medvedev rallied from a break down in the second set to keep the match from going to a decider. He overcame 21 unforced errors by striking 19 winners and broke his opponent four times in six opportunities. Rune countered with 20 winners but made 25 unforced errors. Medvedev, who hit five aces and won 70 percent (33 of 47) of his first-serve points, outpointed Rune 71-62.

Medvedev had been winless in three previous appearances in Rome before this year. During the Italian fortnight, he played some of his best clay-tennis of his career. En route to his title triumph, Medvedev produced victories over the 2017 champion, Alexander Zverev and last year’s finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.

In an on-court interview with ATP Media, Medvedev, who dropped just one set in six matches, said he always wanted to believe in himself “and I always want to win the biggest tournaments in the world. But at the same time, I didn’t think I could win a Masters 1000 on clay in my career because usually I hated it, I hated playing on it. I didn’t feel good on it and nothing was working.

“Before this tournament, already in Madrid and Monte-Carlo, I wasn’t feeling too bad. I thought, ‘OK, let’s continue.’ Then, when I came here, I felt so good in practice and I told my coach, ‘I don’t know what is happening but I am feeling amazing. So, let’s see how it goes.’ But then you have to play the toughest opponents in the world to try to make it. I am really happy I managed to do it and to prove to myself and everyone else that I am capable of doing it.”

In his press conference afterward, Rune suggested he was very nervous stepping into the match.  “Obviously came through from a great match yesterday [against Ruud]. Maybe I put too many expectations on myself, even though I told myself not to,” Rune said. “He played great. He played really solid from the back of the court. … I’m happy for him. It’s his first title on clay. I think he has a good future also in clay. He’s a great player on all courts.”

While Medvedev’s first love, indeed, remains hard courts, where he has won 19 of his 20 titles – his only love – “I definitely like clay much more now.”

Nys and Zielinski win first Masters doubles title together

Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski dominated the competition at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome this week, winning all 10 sets they competed in. On Sunday, Nys from Monaco and Zielinski of Poland defeated Robin Haase and Botic van de Zandschulp, both of the Netherlands, 7-5, 6-1. Nys secured championship point with his team’s eighth ace.

The Rome title was the first at the Masters 1000 level for Nys and Zielinski and their second overall crown as a team. They won 91 percent of their first-serve points (30 of 33), did not face a break point and broke their Dutch opponents three times during the 66-minute tussle.

“It is super special,” Zielinski said in an on-court interview before rain abbreviated the doubles trophy ceremony . “It is the first time for Hugo and I playing at the Foro Italico and it is a magical event and magical venue. We have trained without playing here for so many years, and now we are here playing for the first time. We tried to enjoy it from the first match and here we are as winners. I can’t really put into words what it means to us.”

Nys, who is the first Monegasque player to win an ATP Masters 1000 title, added: “I feel great. I am very proud, representing this federation who have been helping me for so many years. I am just so happy.”

By the numbers

Holger Rune, 20, is the youngest player to reach the Italian Open since then 19-year-old Rafael Nadal in 2006. His wins over Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud prior to Sunday’s final, coupled with his loss to Medvedev, gives him a 7-2 win-loss record against Top-5 opponents.

“Quotable …”

“It was a tough match. I think we were both a bit nervous at the start and I think we were both missing our basics. We were missing some easy shots, so I am happy I managed to step it up at the end of the first set. But then at the start of the second set he stepped it up straight away and I was like ‘OK, this is the moment I have to start playing better and go to his level’. Then it was a top match from this stage.”

– Rome champion Daniil Medvedev during his on-court interview after beating Holger Rune.

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