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Hamad Medjedovic capped his breakthrough season by lifting the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by NEOM trophy on Saturday in Jeddah, the place he recovered from squandering two match factors within the fourth set in opposition to Arthur Fils to win the primary five-set ultimate in match historical past.
The 20-year-old performed aggressively in entrance of a packed crowd in King Abdullah Sports activities Metropolis, the place he obtained loud help from energetic followers. The Serbian took giant cuts on the ball, received 88 per cent (61/69) of factors on his first supply and transformed his third match level to fireside previous the 19-year-old Frenchman 3-4(6), 4-1, 4-2, 3-4(9), 4-1 after two hours and 11 minutes.
It additionally capped an excellent finish of the season for Serbia after Novak Djokovic clinched a file seventh Nitto ATP Finals crown in Turin earlier this month. The World No. 1 has been sending Medjedovic messages of help this week.
“Two of us from Serbia. He received the massive Masters, the true one, and I received the Subsequent Gen. Clearly it is an enormous factor and I am joyful to observe in his footsteps not directly,” Medjedovic stated.
Medjedovic didn’t lose a match en path to changing into the primary Serbian to triumph on the match, taking house a tournament-record $514,000 in prize cash.
At No. 110 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, the 20-year-old is the lowest-ranked champion in match historical past, whereas he’s the sixth Subsequent Gen ATP Finals titlist, becoming a member of High 10 stars Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“I can’t imagine I’ve received this title, however it is going to give me loads of confidence for 2024,”Medjedovic stated. “Arthur is a tremendous participant; he is High 40 for a purpose, so I am actually joyful.”
“It was robust after the primary set. I modified my garments and recovered and began to play good once more. I did not play good after I had match factors within the fourth set. I wasn’t relaxed, I used to be very stiff. Thank God I recovered and I used to be simply making an attempt to remain relaxed as a lot as I might and I managed to do it in the long run.”
Gasoline Gauge reveals how a lot a participant ought to have left within the tank primarily based on historic benchmarks.
Each gamers come out firing on serve of their first Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly. They dropped only one level every on their first deliveries, with Fils hitting six aces and Medjedovic seven. With little to separate them, the Frenchman got here to life deep within the tie-break, saving two set factors earlier than he clinched the opener on his first set level.
After taking a rest room break, Medjedovic discovered his finest stage at the beginning of the second set. He flew by his service video games, making use of the shortened shot-clock rule between aces to achieve momentum and stage. The Serbian then broke within the first sport of the third set and continued his spectacular stage on serve within the third set, successful all 10 factors behind his first supply.
The fourth set then went to a tie-break and Medjedovic moved to match level at 6/4. Fils saved each on second serves, earlier than clinching the set to pressure a deciding set. The Serbian, who struck 34 winners, together with 19 aces, wouldn’t be denied although. He raced by the decider, collapsing to the ground after changing on his third match level.
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Medjedovic, who’s coached by former World No. 12 Viktor Troicki, received three ATP Challenger Tour trophies in 2023, whereas he reached tour-level semi-finals in Gstaad and Astana.
Fils, who received his maiden tour-level title in Lyon in Might, began the season at No. 251 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings however arrived in Jeddah at a career-high No. 36. He’s the primary French teenager to complete the season contained in the High 50 since then-19-year-olds Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils in 2005.
Did You Know?
Medjedovic hit 69 aces throughout the occasion. No participant in match historical past has hit extra aces on the occasion than the Serbian.
from Tennis – ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/QklwIAT
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