Daniil Medvedev Makes Triumphant Return to Top 10 with Victory over Sinner in Rotterdam

Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev emerged victorious at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, claiming his 16th ATP Tour-level title in the process.

Medvedev cemented his return to the Top 10 of the ATP rankings, making his comeback after a slow start to the year by defeating Italy’s Jannik Sinner in the championship match. The sixth-seeded player retained his composure to complete a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 victory in the highly contested final.

The indoor ATP 500 event in Rotterdam saw Montpellier champion Jannik Sinner come out strong in his pursuit of back-to-back ATP Tour titles. The young Italian started the match aggressively and quickly took control, winning the first set in a hard-fought battle.

Medvedev Responds by Digging Deep

Medvedev, however, was quick to respond, digging deep and dialing in his serve. He defied the Italian with some outstanding defense and played more offensively on a few shots, which managed to work well at the beginning of the second set. Medvedev managed to push Sinner mentally down until the end of the match.

The two-hour and 29-minute win was crucial for Medvedev as it secured his 16th Tour-level title, with 15 of those wins achieved on hard courts. The win also saw him leapfrog Hubert Hurkacz, Holger Rune, and Felix Auger-Aliassime to No. 8 on the ATP rankings.

Medvedev’s first title since his Vienna triumph last October also marks his return to the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP rankings, as he beat some of the world’s greatest players to claim the Rotterdam title.

Sinner’s semi-final win against Tallon Griekspoor saw him reveal plans to speak to his team and devise a plan for Sunday’s final that would help avoid a repeat of his past struggles against Medvedev.

Although he was still required to go toe-to-toe in extended baseline exchanges with the sixth seed, he also frequently ventured forward to try and disrupt his opponent’s rhythm.

Momentum Shifts

Medvedev rallied by winning three games in a row from 1-4, which helped shift the momentum in his favor. His relentless hitting off both wings forced Sinner into some early errors in the second set, and he broke the Italian in the first game, which helped him level the match.

Two further breaks of serve for Medvedev followed in the decider as Sinner appeared to tire, chasing his eighth win in the space of 10 days after lifting his first title of the season in Montpellier last week. Medvedev went on to complete victory after converting five of his 12 break points and hitting just 17 unforced errors to Sinner’s 30.