Medvedev Maintains Masterful Form, Beats Goffin For Cincinnati Tennis Title

By Ricky Dimon

Three weeks. Thee finals. One title.

That is the wrap on Danill Medvedev’s pre-U.S. Open hard-court summer, which culminated with a title at the Western & Southern Open on Sunday afternoon. Medvedev lifted his first Masters 1000 trophy after beating fellow surprise finalist David Goffin 7-6(3), 6-4 in one hour and 39 minutes.

The world No. 8, who moves up to fifth on Monday, was coming off consecutive runner-up performances in Washington, D.C. and Montreal. In Cincinnati, the third time was the charm. Medvedev, who upset Novak Djokovic in the semis, continued to serve huge–holding 10 of 11 games, firing 10 aces, and winning 90 percent of his first-serve points.

Goffin’s last chance came with his opponent serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set. The 19th-ranked Belgian led 15-40, but Medvedev came up with some clutch serves to dig out of that hole and take the final four points.

“It’s hard to find words,” the 23-year-old Russian admitted. “It’s the hard work I’ve been putting in. It would not be good to lose three finals in a row, so I’m really happy about this. I started cramping at 5-3, actually. It was the first time I cramped in three weeks. I made four serves he didn’t return and it was unbelievable.”

“He played unbelievable the last three weeks,” Goffin praised. “He’s super solid. He doesn’t miss. It’s like playing against a wall. That’s why everybody is struggling, because he’s so consistent, now with more confidence. He’s a really good player, really good player. And on that kind of surface when it’s tough to control the ball, he’s just solid. It’s tough to make a winner, to be precise. He’s really good, unbelievable the level he had the last three weeks. Congrats to him.”

Medvedev agreed.

“I have to say even if I wouldn’t have finished with the trophy, these weeks were amazing and the best in my life,” he concluded. “But of course I think with the trophy is better. Especially if I would have lost three finals in a row, I would have not doubted myself but started asking myself how is it possible, three finals, lost all of them? What should I do differently in the final?

“I don’t have to ask myself these questions because I won the final. It’s been the best weeks in my life. My serve was the best in my life. My tennis was really consistent. I didn’t have one bad match. I’m just extremely happy.”

Ricky contributes to10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.