Rotterdam | Medvedev and Sinner fight for title

There will be a new name on the ABN AMRO Open trophy following the straight set semi-final victories of both Jannik Sinner and Danill Medvedev who will be contesting the 50th final of tournament which is now an ATP 500 event.

I’m very happy with how I played the tie-break also,” he said. “Very happy to be again in a final, and tomorrow is obviously going to be a tough, tough challenge Jannik Sinner

For the 21-year-old Sinner it will be his second final in as many weeks having won the Montpelier title last Sunday, and though unseeded for this week, eliminated the top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in round two.

Ranked 14, Sinner required nearly two hours to get past home favourite Tallon Griekspoor 7-5 7-6(5), the world No.61, winning the only break point in the match to pocket the opening set but had to battle to hold on in the second until the tiebreak where he eventually gained control.

“I felt a lot of pressure today,” Sinner commented after the match after his seventh straight victory. “I’m very happy with how I handled it, it was not easy from my side. I tried to play aggressive tennis. Sometimes I managed to do it, sometimes not, but this is part of the game.

“I’m very happy with how I played the tie-break also,” he said. “Very happy to be again in a final, and tomorrow is obviously going to be a tough, tough challenge.”

Daniil Medvedev 's serve is working well

Earlier in the day the sixth seeded Medvedev completely outclassed his Bulgarian opponent, Grigor Dimitrov 6-1 6-2 in just 80-minutes.

In a match which was expected to be tight, Medvedev took control early, and, from the second game won eight on the trot and then the last four as he simply dominated proceedings converting six of 13 break points to reach his first final since claiming the title in Vienna last October.

“It was an amazing match. The score looks easy, but the match was not. I felt physically like I was playing five sets,” said the former world number one who has dropped down to 11th in world terms but now should break back into the top ten.

“Some amazing rallies. It was 2-2, 0-40 for him in the second, so to manage to win it 6-2, just raise my level a little bit on serve and manage to keep consistent… He made a few more errors than he needed to make, and I’m happy with my level.

“It would be amazing to win here,” Medvedev, who holds 15 titles including the US Open, said.

“Every time I come here, everywhere there are photos of the winners and their names.

“I don’t remember who won it first time, but then Arthur Ashe won it, then others like McEnroe, Borg, Edberg, and I’m like ‘Well, that tournament has a history for sure’. To add my name there would be amazing.”
Sinner has yet to score a win over Medvedev and will hope to amend that in the fifth meeting of their careers.

“He is very solid, he serves well,” said Sinner looking ahead. “To break him is very tough, and I need to serve very carefully and very bravely. I will have a chat with my team, and hopefully I can improve on the past meetings.”