Medvedev advances to Shanghai semi-finals
Former champion Daniil Medvedev advanced to the Rolex Shanghai Masters semi-finals for the third time on Friday, defeating American Tommy Paul 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in a hard-fought encounter lasting two hours and nine minutes, as reported by the Rolex Shanghai Masters. The victory marks a significant step for the fifth seed as he aims to secure his qualification for the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.
Medvedev started strongly by taking the first set, but suffered a noticeable dip in the second, dropping it 6-1. However, the 30-year-old regrouped effectively for the deciding set, raising his intensity and outgrinding Paul in physical baseline exchanges. Paul struggled with his consistency in the final set, landing only 47 percent of his first serves and committing 17 unforced errors.
“I think today I was a tiny bit off from time to time but the third set was great,” Medvedev said after the match, according to the Rolex Shanghai Masters. “Even the second set was 6-1, but I made him work and I was tired at the end of the set myself. I managed to regroup myself and serve better in the third and get the win, which is a great feeling.”
Race to Turin implications and upcoming clash
The victory improves Medvedev’s head-to-head record against Paul to 5-1 and provides a substantial boost to his ranking aspirations. Sitting at sixth place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, Medvedev now holds 3,420 points, putting him 540 points ahead of Alex de Minaur, who currently stands just outside the qualification cut in 10th place.
As the only former Shanghai champion remaining in the draw—having previously won the title in 2019—Medvedev is chasing his seventh ATP Masters 1000 crown and his first since triumphing in Rome in 2023. His strong Asian swing form includes 11 wins from 12 matches over the past four weeks, alongside a title at the ATP 250 event in Hangzhou and a semi-final appearance in Beijing.
In the semi-finals, Medvedev will face 20-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar. Looking ahead to the matchup, Medvedev noted the physical challenge posed by his next opponent, stating that Jodar hits the ball very strongly and that the encounter will provide a good test of his current form.