Steve Flink: “Serena benefits from long matches. Medvedev's injuries are a concern” - UBITENNIS
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Steve Flink: “Serena benefits from long matches. Medvedev’s injuries are a concern”

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UbiTennis CEO Ubaldo Scanagatta and his colleague, Hall-of-Famer Steve Flink, discuss the events of the tenth day of the American Slam, spanning from the Russian derby to Vika Azarenka’s unbelievable form.

 

The final stages of the 2020 US Open are coming fast, and, despite a whole contintent setting them apart, Ubaldo Scanagatta couldn’t refrain from recording his traditional recaps in the company of Hall-of-Famer Steve Flink. Can this version of Serena Williams defeat Azarenka, who left just one game to Elise Mertens? Who will win the men’s title? All of this and more are tackled in the following video: 

VIDEO SCHEDULE

00:00 – A few words about Wednesday’s opening matches, another Serena Williams comeback (this time against Pironkova) and the Russian derby between Rublev and Medvedev.

01:25 – Ubaldo: “Serena Williams’ performance is surprising, she seems to be improving with time…” Flink: “I agree, long matches are helping her. I thought she was done but she somehow pulled it off.” Which was the key moment?

3:40 – The American is finding her feet, but can she clinch the title against the likes of Osaka and Brady?

6:00 – “Nobody expected Pironkova to play at such a high level, she survived a couple of matches against tough opponents like Muguruza and Vekic. As for last night’s bout against Serena, she was the best player on court for about 90 minutes, but I never expected her to win.” Will she keep on playing?

7:15 – Pironkova’s pride for her popularity in her homecountry of Bulgaria, for her achievements, and for the comparisons with Grigor Dimitrov.

09:00 – The Russian derby: “The two players grew up together, they have played each other countless times in training. I have no idea how Rublev lost the first set…” How would have the match shaped up, had he won the opener?

11:25 – Rublev was furious after losing that tie-breaker, but what about Medvedev’s physical struggles in the third?

14:55 – “The women’s semifinals will take place on Thursday, and Serena will have had a few more hours to rest compared with Azarenka. Their matches have always been very physical…” What will be the outcome of the mothers’ derby?

22:50 – Medvedev will play Thiem next – who’s the favourite? “It really depends on how the Russian’s body holds up, going the distance might be a problem.”

24:20 – The other semifinal match involves Zverev and Carreno Busta: “Not many would have predicted the Spaniard to get back to the semis before the Djokovic affair. He is a player who never beats himself.” Zverev has frequent lapses in focus, will they undermine his chances?”  

Transcript by Giuseppe Di Paola, edited by Tommaso Villa

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Danil Medvedev is on a collision course for a potential quarter final against Jannik Sinner in Shanghai

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This year’s US Open finalist Danil Medvedev returns to the Shanghai Masters 1000, where he won in 2019, when the Chinese tournament was last held in 2019. Medvedev is aiming to win his sixth ATP Tour title after his triumphs in Rotterdam, Doha, Dubai, Miami and Rome. 

 

Medvedev will take on either Cristian Garin or a qualifier in the second round. Medvedev is seeded to meet a potential fourth round match against 14th seed Felix Auger Aliassime. 

Medvedev is on a collision course for a blockbuster quarter final match against Jannik Sinner. Medvedev leads 6-0 in his head-to-head series against Sinner. 

This year’s US Open semifinalist Ben Shelton could face a possible third round match against 2019 Shanghai Open finalist Alexander Zverev in Sinner’s section of the draw. 

This year’s Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz will make his debut in the Shanghai Masters 1000 tournament against either Nuno Borges or Gregoire Barrere. Alcaraz is seeded for a fourth round match against this year’s Zhuhai winner Karen Khachanov and could face either Taylor Fritz or Frances Tiafoe. 

Alcaraz will chase his seventh ATP Tour title this year after winning in Buenos Aires, Indian Wells, Barcelona, Madrid, Queen’s and Wimbledon. He will face Sinner in the semifinal at the China Open in Beijing. The Spaniard would arrive 315 points behind Novak Djokovic if he wins the title in the Chinese capital. 

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev have been drawn in the same half as Alcaraz. Tsitsipas will start his campaign against either Laslo Djere or a qualifier and is seeded to play against Cameron Norrie in the Round of 16. 

Rublev, who won his first Masters 1000 title in Monte-Carlo this year, will play against either Quentin Halys or Aslan Karatsev in the second round and is seeded to meet this year’s Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul. 

This year’s Monte-Carlo and Rome Masters 1000 finalist Holger Rune will play in the second round against either Brandon Nakashima or Bernabe Zapata Miralles. 

Casper Ruud is seeded to meet this year’s Toronto Masters 1000 finalist Alex De Minaur in the fourth round and Rune in the quarter final. 

The most interesting first round matches are Andy Murray vs Roman Safiulin, Stan Wawrinka vs Dusan Lajovic and Shang Juncheng vs Yosuke Watanuki. 

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Jannik Sinner beats Grigor Dimitrov to set up semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz

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Jannik Sinner overcame Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 3-6 6-2 to set up a blockbuster semifinal match against Carlos Alcaraz at the China Open in Beijing. 

 

Sinner converted his fourth break point in the first game. The Italian player saved the second break point with a forehand drop-shot. The Toronto Masters 1000 champion held on his next service games to close out the first set 6-4. 

Sinner missed the chance to close out the match in straight sets when he was unable to convert eight points across three games in the second set. He wasted four break points when he was leading 0-40 at 3-3. Dimitrov brke serve in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. The Bulgarian player saved two break-back points in the ninth game to hold serve for 6-3. 

Sinner broke serve in the second game of the third set with a crosscourt backhand winner and held serve at 30 with a passing shot. 

Dimitrov held his first service game of the third set for 1-3. Sinner saved a break point with a forehand to hold serve at deuce for 4-1. Dimitrov saved a break point at deuce in the sixth game. 

Sinner fended off two break points in the seventh game to hold serve with a passing shot. The Wimbledon semifinalist closed out the third set with a break at love to reach his eighth semifinal in 2023. 

Sinner clinched his 47th match of the season. 

“I had one game 15-40, one game 0-40 where I made some unforced errors and he also prayed quite aggressive. This is tennis. Obviously it’s easier if you take some chances. In the third set I thought I handled the situation well, when I was serving at a tough moment at 4-2. I am very happy to be in the next round”, said Sinner.  

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Iga Swiatek beats Sara Sorribes Tormo to reach the second round in Beijing

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Four-time Grand Slam champion and world number 2 Iga Swiatek beat Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4 6-3 on her debut at the China Open in Beijing. Swiatek broke seven times and hit 27 winners to 25 unforced errors. 

 

Both players traded breaks at the start of the opening set. Swiatek earned her second break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. The Polish player fired 17 winners and won 15 of her 17 net points in the first set. 

There were eight breaks in nine games. Swiatek won 12 of the first 14 points of the second set to race out to a 3-0 lead with a double break. Sorribes Tormo broke three times in the second set, but Swiatek broke in all five of her service games.  

Swiatek set up a second round match against Varvara Gracheva.

“Today I felt really confident and comfortable because I have been practicing that a lot. I am pretty proud of my performance at the net because, technically, I feel like my volley has changed. I am really happy with that. I think against some players it’s necessary to go to the net. Today that was that kind of a match”, said Swiatek. 

Jelena Ostapenko reached the Round of 16 via walkover after Linda Noskova withdrew from the match due to illness.

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