{"id":12167,"date":"2023-10-08T16:36:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-08T16:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/medvedev-crashes-out-of-shanghai-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-10-08T16:36:04","modified_gmt":"2023-10-08T16:36:04","slug":"medvedev-crashes-out-of-shanghai-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/medvedev-crashes-out-of-shanghai-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Medvedev crashes out of Shanghai | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nSHANGHAI:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Defending champion Daniil Medvedev<\/a> said missing one key opportunity had cost him a spot in the Shanghai Masters’ fourth round after he was knocked out in straight sets by 26th-ranked Sebastian Korda on Sunday.<\/p>\n

The Russian fell apart in the second set after Korda won the first on a tiebreaker taken to the brink, with the match finishing 7-6 (10\/8), 6-2.<\/p>\n

“I should have won the tiebreak but didn’t,” said the world number three afterwards.<\/p>\n

“I was, for sure, down mentally after such a first set… In the tiebreak, he actually didn’t play that good (compared to the rest of the match). I didn’t use this opportunity and I’m going home.”<\/p>\n

Medvedev fell three games behind an emboldened Korda in the second set, but looked like he might be about to make a comeback with a blistering win in the fourth game.<\/p>\n

But the American fought back, taking the next game, and Medvedev grew increasingly agitated, gesticulating in frustration and smashing his racket.<\/p>\n

“I feel awesome, I played an incredible match,” said 23-year-old Korda at the end, thanking the crowd for their enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

The match’s thrilling rallies drew gasps and exclamations from spectators as the two battled it out.<\/p>\n

“We played a really good tiebreaker, you know, it was up and down from the beginning… I’m happy to be on the winning side of it!” Korda added.<\/p>\n

Medvedev had said the game would be “interesting” for him beforehand, referencing his loss to Korda in their last meeting.<\/p>\n

At a press conference after Sunday’s match, looking deflated, he said he would sum up his time in China as “not amazing”.<\/p>\n

He made the final of Beijing’s China Open this week but lost to Italian Jannik Sinner.<\/p>\n

“Shanghai is really important… I wanted to do better,” Medvedev said.<\/p>\n

“I felt good being here, so I’m a little bit, not a little bit, I’m very disappointed to lose.”<\/p>\n

His elimination was watched from the courtside by tournament top seed Carlos Alcaraz.<\/p>\n

Medvedev said the 20-year-old Spaniard and Sinner, who also beat Alcaraz in Beijing this week, were the top contenders for his title now.<\/p>\n

“But at the same time… Maybe Jannik loses today, Carlos loses tomorrow, and it’s all over… That’s why tennis is interesting, we can never know,” he said with a wry smile.<\/p>\n

Earlier, world number nine Casper Ruud continued his smooth progress through the tournament with another straight-sets win, this time against the United States’ Christopher Eubanks.<\/p>\n

Ruud appeared in control throughout against the 32nd-ranked American, with the third-round match ending 6-4, 6-2.<\/p>\n

The Norwegian said he was pleased he’d held his nerve against a “tough, fast” player.<\/p>\n

World number seven Andrey Rublev is through to the third round after defeating France’s Quentin Halys 6-4, 7-5.<\/p>\n

Asked about his compatriot Medvedev, Rublev said his playing this year had been “something unreal”.<\/p>\n

“That he lost here, it sometimes can happen,” Rublev said. “To most of the players it’s happened more often.”<\/p>\n

Two top-20 players exited the tournament in the second round on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Britain’s 16th-ranked Cameron Norrie was defeated by the United States’ JJ Wolf, ranked 51st.<\/p>\n

And 59th-ranked Lorenzo Sonego took out Frances Tiafoe, the world number 13, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n