Tribune News Network
Doha
Having arrived in Doha in red-hot form and having made the $1,485,775 Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2023 final without having dropped a set, Russian Daniil Medvedev had faced his biggest test against Andy Murray of Great Britain. But the third-seeded Medvedev defied the wild card entrant Murray with consummate ease to lift the glittering Falcon Trophy for the first time.
The 27-year-old Medvedev prevailed 6-4, 6-4 in just 47 minutes over his fancied 35-year-old rival and twice winner in Doha - Murray in a battle of former world number ones on a glorious Saturday evening.
His Highness The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Ali besides other dignitaries witnessed the final at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex.
The triumph was Medvedev’s second title in seven days following up on his last Sunday’s title in Rotterdam. The Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2023 win fetched Medvedev $209,445 besides the valuable 250 ATP points.
Coming Monday, Medvedev will leapfrog Rafael Nadal to No. 7 in the ATP Rankings as a result of his Doha title run.
Meanwhile, the three-time Grand Slam winner Murray is set to jump 18 places to 52nd in the new rankings.
Speaking soon after his victorious show,the 2021 US Open champion Medvedev said, "It was a very tough match. I’m happy to win, today was a big fight. Both of us sometimes were playing bad, then suddenly both of us were playing amazing, and I’m happy to win.
"It was tough for Andy to put the ball through me many times. Now it has to continue, so I’m going to try for as long as I can.”
Murray had saved eight match points en route to the Doha final. In the final though, he pushed Medvedev hard but could not get the better him.
Murray came back from 0-40 in the opening game to force deuce, but he could not hold serve, and Medvedev soon broke again to lead 4-1.
But back came Murray, and the Briton had a break point to square up the opener at 4-4, only for Medvedev to cling on.
The second set also began with Murray dropping serve, but the 35-year-old levelled up at 3-3 with a backhand winner at the end of a terrific rally.
That raised his hopes of a full-scale fightback and a third title success at this event, plus a first tournament victory since 2019 in Antwerp, but Murray was broken from 40-0 in the ninth game, and that looked to end his chances.
Murray saved a ninth match point of the week, albeit thanks to a double fault from his opponent, but the he could not do so for a 10th time, with a lob from Medvedev giving him a big win and the 17th tour-level title of his career.