Medvedev saves two match points in ATP FInals win

Daniil Medvedev practices during last month's
 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Photo by
Paul Bauman

   No. 2 seed and defending champion Daniil Medvedev of Russia saved two match points in a 6-0, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (8) victory over alternate Jannik Sinner, playing in his home country, today in the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.

   Medvedev, who already had clinched a berth in Saturday's semifinals, finished 3-0 in round-robin play. The 20-year-old Sinner, who replaced injured countryman Matteo Berrettini, went 1-1.

   Sinner reached the second round of the 2019 Aptos (Calif.) Challenger at 17 after winning the Lexington (Ky.) Challenger the previous week.

   Medvedev is scheduled to play the winner of Friday's match between No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev of Russia and No. 8 seed Casper Ruud of Norway (Tennis Channel, 5 a.m. PST). 

   In Saturday's other semifinal, top seed and five-time champion Novak Djokovic is scheduled to face No. 3 seed and 2018 titlist Alexander Zverev.

   Meanwhile, No. 1 doubles seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic of Croatia joined No. 4 seeds Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina in the semifinals. They will meet teams to be determined.

   Granollers reached the singles final in the 2018 Tiburon (Calif.) Challenger at age 32.

   World TeamTennis — The Springfield (Mo.) Lasers, with San Francisco Bay Area product Mackenzie McDonald, are in second place at 3-1, one-half match behind the San Diego Aviators. The Chicago Smash, featuring Fresno, Calif., product Sloane Stephens, are fourth at 2-3.

   The top two teams in the five-team league will meet in the WTT Finals on Nov. 28. All matches are being played in Indian Wells.