By Tennis Now | @TennisNow | Friday, February 14, 2025
Image courtesy: Clive Brunskill/Getty
The extraordinary solo artist Daniil Medvedev has his sights set on a remarkable ambition: to become a celebrated two-time champion.
Today, Medvedev moved one step closer to making this dream a reality.
With wild card status, Medvedev battled through, successfully defending all five break points in a decisive victory over Jan-Lennard Struff, finishing with scores of 6-3, 6-2, and securing his spot in the 57th Tour-level semifinal of his career and his first of the season in Marseille.
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Renowned for his mastery across different arenas, Medvedev has clinched all 20 of his ATP titles in 20 unique cities.
Now, as the champion of 2021 Marseille, Medvedev stands just two wins away from achieving a personal milestone: winning the same tournament twice.
Under pressure from the powerful German serve early in the match, Medvedev showcased his resilience, saving two break points to maintain his serve in both the fourth and sixth games.
Then, the former world No. 1 turned the tide, converting his third break point to take a lead at 4-3.
Medvedev weathered a fifth break point by holding his serve for 5-3 before converting his second set point to claim the first set.
In the second set, Medvedev unleashed his serve, winning 12 out of 14 points at one stretch, surging to a 4-1 advantage and sealing the match in just 78 minutes.
The former Australian Open finalist is aiming for his first title since clinching victory in Rome in 2023, with 18 of his 20 titles earned on hard courts.
This appearance marks Medvedev’s first ATP-250 event since back in 2023, setting up a potential pathway towards his first repeat championship.
Next, Medvedev will face either Daniel Altmaier or Hamad Medjedovic in tomorrow’s semifinal showdown.
Earlier in the day, local favorite Ugo Humbert utilized his lefty serve to dispatch Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-4, marking his 150th career win.
Seeded second, Humbert triumphed by winning 29 of 34 first-serve points while saving all three break points he faced during the 98-minute match.
In denying Sonego his 150th win, Humbert continued his impressive performance indoors on home soil.
Consider this: Humbert boasts a stellar record of 16 wins and only 1 loss in his last 17 indoor matches played in France, which includes championship titles from Metz and Marseille in 2023, alongside an electrifying run to the Paris final last November where he fell to Alexander Zverev.
On Saturday, Humbert is set to clash with Zizou Bergs for a coveted position in the Marseille final.
