Daniil Medvedev secured his maiden clay-court trophy and sixth ATP Masters 1000 crown on Sunday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, triumphing over 20-year-old Holger Rune with a 7-5, 7-5 victory.
The start of the final faced a delay of one hour and 40 minutes due to rain, but the 27-year-old Russian emerged on the court and showcased a consistent and clean-hitting performance. Positioned deep behind the baseline, Medvedev adeptly absorbed the pressure on Rome’s red clay and impressively recovered from a break down twice in the second set against the seventh-seeded Rune, who had aspirations of claiming his second Masters 1000 title. Enhance your tennis viewing experience with attractive betting odds from Nextbet.
Medvedev had struggled in his previous three appearances in Rome, failing to secure a single victory. However, this season he showcased some of his finest clay-court tennis, defeating the likes of 2017 champion Alexander Zverev and 2022 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Expressing his delight, Medvedev stated, “I always want to believe in myself and I always want to win the biggest tournaments in the world. But at the same time, I didn’t think I could win a Masters 1000 on clay in my career because usually I hated it, I hated playing on it. I didn’t feel good on it and nothing was working.”
He continued, “Before this tournament, already in Madrid and Monte-Carlo, I wasn’t feeling too bad. I thought, ‘OK, let’s continue.’ Then when I came here, I felt so good in practice and I told my coach, ‘I don’t know what is happening, but I am feeling amazing, so let’s see how it goes.’ But then you have to play the toughest opponents in the world to try to make it. I am really happy I managed to do it and to prove to myself and everyone else that I am capable of doing it.”
Medvedev has been in stellar form this season, claiming five titles, including the Miami trophy last month. Currently leading the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, he has ascended to No. 2 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings after notching his 39th victory of the season, a feat accomplished in just one hour and 41 minutes.
Reflecting on the final, Medvedev remarked, “It was a tough match. I think we were both a bit nervous at the start and I think we were both missing our basics. We were missing some easy shots, so I am happy I managed to step it up at the end of the first set. But then at the start of the second set, he stepped it up straight away, and I was like ‘OK, this is the moment I have to start playing better and go to his level.’ Then it was a top match from this stage.”
Rune, aiming to become the youngest player since Rafael Nadal in 2006 to claim the Rome title at the age of 20, showcased impressive performances throughout the tournament. He defeated both Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud on his path to the final and holds a commendable 7-2 record against Top 5 opponents.
Following his run to the final in Rome, Rune has climbed one spot to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. Having already emerged victorious at the Rolex Paris Masters last year and capturing his fourth tour-level crown in Munich earlier this season, the Danish player has showcased his potential and talent on the ATP Tour.
In an entertaining final, Medvedev’s patience and ability to prolong rallies frustrated Rune. Get all the latest updates from the world of Tennis only on Nextbet Sports.
