PREVIEW | 2023 China Open Semi-Final - ZVEREV v MEDVEDEV as long storied rivalry resumes

Tuesday, 03 October 2023 at 12:33

With Carlos Alcaraz facing off against Jannik Sinner, the opening semi-final sees Alexander Zverev face off against Daniil Medvedev for a spot in the China Open final.

It is a storied rivalry that goes all the way back to 2016 which was initially dominated by Zverev. The last one was also won by the German, but who prevails this time?

Zverev backs up Chengdu Open win with run to semi-finals

Winning the Chengdu Open last week, it was another title on return for Zverev albeit at an ATP 250 which has lesser players. But in the face of a run which saw multiple tough tests, he has prevailed to reach the semi-finals in Beijing.

Zverev saw off Diego Schwartzman to open up coming from a set down to seal it and again he did so against a familiar opponent, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

This streak was finally reversed in the Quarter-Final with Nicolas Jarry going a set down before coming back to force a decider. But which way will it go against Medvedev.

Medvedev returns post US Open, eases through tough run

After the disappointment of losing in the US Open final, Daniil Medvedev has returned with a bang in a country that he is known for his success in. In particular, Shanghai Masters will be defended four years later.

At the China Open, he has seen off Tommy Paul and Alex de Minaur without a great deal of difficulty. The only player so far that he struggled with is Ugo Humbert as he survived a mid match scare to breeze through the deciding set.

Losing to Djokovic at Flushing Meadows, there is no post New York wobble and he is firmly back to business.

16 matches in storied rivalry

It has been a storied rivalry between the pair, with both being at the top for the same amount of time. Zverev himself said that he had played Medvedev in most tournaments at this point.

Zverev though took their last of four meetings back in Cincinnati winning in three sets. But before that, Medvedev had won three in a row all in the Last 16.

Their last meeting post the Last 16 saw Zverev win the final of the 2021 ATP Finals. But their first meeting goes back to 2016 in Russia which saw Zverev win.

Two players who know each others game superbly set to face off again.

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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