US Open champion and world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev said he had the best week of his career as he went unbeaten in the Davis Cup finals and helped the Russia Tennis Federation claim their first title in 15 years with a 2-0 win over Croatia on Sunday.
“It was an amazing two weeks because it’s never easy to come here at the end of the season. I’m more happy for the team than for myself,” Medvedev said after winning 7-6 (7), 6-2 against Croatia’s Marin Cilic.
Medvedev did not lose a set in the tournament.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Earlier, world No. 5 Andrey Rublev needed just 1 hour, 32 minutes to beat Borna Gojo and put Russia in the lead.
“What I love about these kinds of tournaments, when we play as a country, is the bond we create as a team,” Rublev told reporters. “We do everything together and it creates this will to win for your friends, for the team.”
Russia went unbeaten in the Davis Cup finals, winning their group opener 3-0 against Ecuador and only struggling to beat one of their rivals, hosts Spain, who handed them their only loss in the singles when Feliciano Lopez edged Rublev in three sets.
That win created animosity between the Spanish crowd and the Russian team — until the final, when they received a standing ovation.
After beating Spain, Russia eliminated Sweden and Germany decisively on their way to Sunday’s final, when they won the Davis Cup for the first time since lifting the 2006 title.
“I was eight years old and was in the arena. Don’t remember anything other than it was against Argentina,” Rublev said, smiling broadly.
Russia claimed their third Davis Cup to tie Czech Republic and Germany for sixth place on the all-time winners’ list.
ITF ON PENG SHUAI
Reuters
The president of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) yesterday told the BBC that it did not have plans to suspend events in China amid widespread concern over the well-being of Chinese star player Peng Shuai.
The former doubles world No. 1 made a sexual assault accusation against former Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli, then disappeared from public view last month, prompting the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to suspend its lucrative tournaments in China.
ITF president David Haggerty said that the governing body — which oversees the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup, along with a number of lower-level tournaments — did not have plans to follow suit.
“We don’t want to punish a billion people, so we will continue to run our junior events in the country and our senior events that are there for the time being,” Haggerty told the BBC, adding that the group would “work behind to scenes” to help resolve the matter.
SEE STORY ON PAGE 9
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care