Medvedev reaches first 2020 final with defeat of Raonic

Daniil Medvedev defeated Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6(4), on Saturday to move into his first final of the season with victory at the Paris Masters.

The Russian will be competing for his eighth career trophy on Sunday when he faces the winner from top seed Rafael Nadal and German Alexander Zverev.

Mevedev improved his record over Canada’s Raonic to 3-0 with victory in 98 minutes in a Bercy arena left empty due to a COVID-19 lockdown in France.

2020 has been something of a dud for Medvedev, who played nine finals last season – including the US Open against Nadal – and won four. 

Raonic has not won a title for nearly five years since Brisbane in January, 2016.

“In some key moments he found a way to be a bit more the aggressor.

He was dictating a bit more,” he Canadian 10th seed said . 

“Maybe I started to find the rhythm a little bit too late. He was a lot more efficient at creating his opportunities. 

“It’s just little things like that that make a big difference.”

Medvedev saved six of seven break points  – Raonic missed all of his first six – as he reached his fourth career final at the Masters 1000 level and 14th overall.

The 29-year-old Raonic is not at all displeased with his showing this unique and chaotic season.

“Each week I’ve been winning at least some matches and giving myself an

opportunity to continue through tournaments.

“I got back into the swing of consecutive matches, back-to-back matches, winning tough matches, coming back the next day being able to play well without any physical issues.

“I’m going to have a lot of positives to take away from and a lot of very motivating things to push me into the next training block and for the start of next year.”

“I’m not sure this semi-final was my best match of the year. I played well at the beginning of the year and I had a couple of good matches here in Paris,” Medvedev said.

“I was working hard. I know that at one moment if you practice well, you do your job, at one moment the sensation is going to come back.

“This moment came here in Paris, which is really good because that’s my first final.”