Medvjedi su po prvi put u karijeri obranili titulu

Daniil Medvedev defended his title at the ATP 250 tournament in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, becoming the first player in his career to successfully retain a title on the association’s circuit. The 30-year-old Russian defeated Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili in the final with scores of 6-7 (6), 6-1, and 6-3. This victory marks Medvedev’s fourth championship of the current season and his 25th career title. The prize fund for the event totaled 958,000 euros. Medvedev entered the match as the top seed. He had previously claimed titles in Brisbane, Dubai, and Huangzhou earlier in the year. His opponent, Basilashvili, reached the final through the qualifying draw. The Georgian, who is four years older than Medvedev, had not played in a tour final since 2022. He holds five career titles, with his last coming five years ago. In the first round of the Almaty tournament, Basilashvili defeated Croatian Marin Cilic. The match began with Medvedev struggling against the qualifier. Basilashvili earned two set points at 6-5 in the opening set, but Medvedev saved both to force a tiebreak. The Russian then missed two attempted winners, allowing Basilashvili to take the first set with a powerful cross-court backhand. Medvedev regained control in the second set, limiting Basilashvili to winning only one game. In the deciding set, the Russian broke serve at 1-1 and maintained dominance to secure the victory. Post-match comments highlighted Medvedev’s resilience. He noted that while the start was difficult, he knew he would have opportunities to turn the match around. He described himself as feeling fresh and physically well, expressing happiness at finally achieving a title defense. Basilashvili appeared nervous during the third set, missing a backhand drop shot to give Medvedev his first match point before hitting a baseline shot wide to end the contest. This win improved Medvedev’s standing for the ATP Finals in Turin, scheduled for November 15 through 22. He currently sits sixth in the race to Turin with 3,585 points. Players ahead of him include Flavio Cobolli, Arthur Fils, and Frances Tiafoe. Those chasing him are Rafael Jodar, Alex de Minaur, Novak Djokovic, and Taylor Fritz. Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, and Ben Shelton have already secured spots in the eight-player finale. Injured star Jannik Sinner will miss the event. Medvedev is set to compete immediately following this win. He will begin play at the Vienna Open on Monday. Subsequently, he plans to participate in the Paris Masters starting October 31. These upcoming tournaments offer additional points necessary to confirm his qualification for the season-ending event in Italy. The result concludes a week in Almaty where Medvedev solidified his status as a consistent performer late in the year.