Daniil Medvedev secured a spot in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals on Friday, defeating Tommy Paul 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. The victory marks the 70th tour-level semi-final of the former world number one’s career and boosts his qualifying prospects for the ATP Finals in Turin. During the two-hour and eight-minute clash against the 15th-seeded American, the fifth seed struck 16 aces and 31 winners. After a second-set setback, the 30-year-old regrouped in the decider to improve his head-to-head record against Paul to 5-1.
Medvedev, who claimed the Hangzhou title last month, remains the only former Shanghai champion left in the draw following his 2019 title run. He will next battle 20-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar for the first time. Commenting on his upcoming opponent, Medvedev noted, “He has a great game. He hits very strong, so it is going to be fun to see it in real life, to get the feel. If I am playing well, I am tough to beat and that is what I am going to try to do.” In the other semi-final matchup, top seed Alexander Zverev will play Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Jodar created history by overcoming 20th seed Casper Ruud 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to become the youngest semi-finalist in Shanghai Masters history.
Extending an impressive run on his tournament debut, the Spaniard earned his fourth consecutive comeback win from a set down. He broke Ruud’s serve five times over the final two sets of the two-hour and 20-minute contest, including three breaks in the final set against the former world number two. The result highlights a remarkable breakout campaign for Jodar, who was ranked 903 just over a year ago before climbing into the top 50 following his first ATP title in Morocco and a semi-final appearance in Barcelona.
At the Wuhan Open, six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek moved into her first tournament semi-final—and fourth WTA 1000 semi-final of the season—by defeating Ann Li 6-4, 6-1. The Polish star is currently fighting for one of the final two places at next month’s eight-player WTA Finals in Indian Wells.
Li, the world number 31 who had previously eliminated world number two Aryna Sabalenka and registered her 100th tour-level win this week, pushed Swiatek in a 56-minute opening set. Despite committing 21 unforced errors and facing three break points, Swiatek protected her single break advantage before dominating the second set. Who stunned world number two Aryna Sabalenka in the second round and recorded the 100th tour-level victory of her career in the third round to reach a maiden WTA 1000 quarter-final, it had been a banner week for 26-year-old Li.
Swiatek’s victory sets up an all-Polish semi-final against her childhood friend Maja Chwalinska, who reached her debut WTA 1000 semi-final by edging past Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-0, 3-6, 7-5. Speaking about their Saturday match, the French Open finalist remarked, “I think it would be great for us and great for Polish tennis as well.” Swiatek similarly expressed enthusiasm for the matchup, adding, “For sure it’s great that we have two Polish players in the semi-finals.”
Earlier in Wuhan, Sonay Kartal earned the second top-10 victory of her career by overcoming Ukrainian world number six Elina Svitolina 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. The result guarantees Kartal a return to the top 100 rankings and makes her the first British player to reach the Wuhan semi-finals.
Kartal’s milestone comes shortly after returning to competition three weeks ago following a six-month absence caused by a spinal stress fracture. Having defeated three straight seeded opponents in her last three rounds, she will next challenge 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko for a spot in the final.
