Djokovic Ousted By Musetti At Monte Carlo Masters, Medvedev Saved MPs v Zverev
After four days of straightforward tennis, things changed on Thursday at the Monte Carlo Masters as top seed Novak Djokovic fell and the streaking Daniil Medvedev had to save match points.
Djokovic had won all three meetings against the young Italian Lorenzo Musetti but the 21-year-old turned the tables today in a stunned comeback 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win.
“I am struggling not to cry,” Musetti said on court. “It is an emotional win because it was a really long match. Three-hour match and suspended by rain. It was not easy conditions because it was a little bit windy and cold. Not like we used to play in the recent days. I am really proud of myself and I can see on the screen. I am struggling not to cry because it is a dream for me.”
Musetti broke Djokovic eight times including the final break he needed to go up 4-3 in the third.
Djokovic assumed control early and then led 6-4, 4-2 and well on his way to a fourth straight win over the youngster.
Djokovic couldn’t finish the job as Musetti raised his game. A one hour rain delay early in the third complicated things as Musetti grabbed the lone break of the set to win it. Serving for it 5-4 Djokovic missed a break chance.
“I don’t think it’s catastrophic, but my feeling is bad right now because I lost the match,” Djokovic said. “That’s all. Congrats to my opponent. I move on.”
“Well, feeling is terrible after playing like this, honestly,” Djokovic said. “But congrats to him. He stayed tough in important moments, and that’s it. That’s all I can say. Good luck to him.
“You always hope for the good day in the office,” he added. “But yeah, I know I’m not playing so great and he’s playing very well, so I knew it was going to be a tough match.”
But that wasn’t the match of the day. Medvedev had to scratch and claw and save two match points to deny Alexander Zverev in a thriller 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(9-7). Zverev had match points at 6-5 and 7-6 in the third set.
The German also served for the match in the second at 5-4.
Medvedev has now won 27 of his last 28 matches.
“That was a crazy match,” said Medvedev to the ATP. “He served two times for the match, he probably should have done better, but that is also clay courts. I tried to watch a lot of tennis before playing this tournament, and one thing that I saw is you can come back at any moment. The serve doesn’t count as much, so as soon as someone gets a little bit tight, the match can turn around in one second. That’s what I managed to do.”
Medvedev will now face Holger Rune tomorrow in the quarters. Rune advanced after Matteo Berrettini pulled out with an ab injury.
“He’s an amazing player,” said Medvedev. “We practiced many times. The first time at the Nitto ATP Finals when he was still a junior. Then a lot of times at the Mouratoglou Academy. We practiced a lot on clay. I don’t think I ever won a set, but I was playing good today, so I hope to show this good tennis tomorrow.”
Jannik Sinner also saved a match point in a thrilling win over Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-6(8-6), 6-1.
Former finalist Andrey Rublev toppled 9th-seeded Karen Khachanov 7-6(7-4), 6-2 and No. 8 Taylor Fritz eliminated (21y,42r) Jiri Lehecka in a match that went the distance 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Jan-Lennard Struff shocked No. 4 Casper Ruud in straights 6-1, 7-6(8-6). And 2-time defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas eliminated Nicolas Jarry 6-3, 6-4.
Friday’s ticket features quarterfinals play with Stefanos Tsitsipas drawing Fritz. Tsitsipas has won all three tour-level encounters with Fritz most recently at the 2022 Australian Open.
Rublev faces Jan-Lennard Struff and Sinner squares off against Musetti. Sinner took their sole meeting at 2021 Antwerp.
FRIDAY MONTE CARLO MASTERS SCHEDULE
Court Rainier III
Starts At 11:00 Am
(5) Andrey Rublev vs (Q) Jan-Lennard Struff
(8) Taylor Fritz vs (2) Stefanos Tsitsipas
Not Before 3:00 Pm
(3) Daniil Medvedev vs (6) Holger Rune
(16) Lorenzo Musetti vs (7) Jannik Sinner
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