Medvedev Crushes Norrie for 14th Title in Los Cabos

By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 7, 2022

Recent finals futility dogged Daniil Medvedev as he stepped on court for the Los Cabos final.

Tonight, world No. 1 Medvedev was a fighter to the finish.

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A sharp Medvedev streaked through eight straight games carving up Cameron Norrie 7-5, 6-0 to capture his 14th career championship in Los Cabos. Medvedev snapped a five-match finals losing streak with commanding closure.

The moment @DaniilMedwed reigned victorious in Los Cabos 🙌#ATC2022 pic.twitter.com/rOWNariJDr

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 7, 2022

It is Medvedev’s first title since he defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2021 US Open final denying the top-ranked Serbian his shot of completing the calendar Grand Slam.

Winless in four finals this season, including squandering a two-set lead falling to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final, Medvedev was in no mood for consolation prizes tonight.

“When you play against Cam, you know that you have to fight for every point,” Medvedev said. “In the first set, we broke each other two times to be at 5-all. He actually came back from 40-15 and I didn’t play bad in that game [serving for the set] at 5-4.

“So I knew I just had to stay there. It helped me a little bit because I could hold my nerve a little bit there. Since then, I managed to play good and it was enough today.”

The pair have practiced together in the past, including in recent weeks, and that familiarity aided Medvedev.

The top seed swarmed the Briton’s serve winning 19 of 33 points played on Norrie’s first serve and breaking serve six times in a one hour, 23-minute match.

Defending champion Norrie battled with vigor but couldn’t find solutions for Medvedev’s oppressive baseline play in the second set. Medvedev won 20 of his last 22 service points. “I apologize for not really getting in the second set today,” Norrie told fans afterward. “I fought as hard as I could. Daniil you were too good. Well done to you and your team. You definitely deserve it this week.”

Four games into the match, Medvedev went airborne.

Launching himself off the blue hard court, Medvedev hit a Safin-style leaping backhand down the line and lashed an ace leveling after four games.

Jump up Jump up 👌@DaniilMedwed #ATC2022 pic.twitter.com/lTph1KtWQN

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 7, 2022

The British No. 1 paid the price for a pair of droppers as Medvedev drilled him on the first and passed him on the second. When Norrie sprayed a forehand down the line wide he was staring down double break point.

Fractional misses had a major impact as Norrie narrowly missed the sideline on a serve and barely missed the baseline on a drive. Medvedev converted his third break point to go up 3-2.

Undeterred, Norrie broke right back. Medvedev was off the doubles alley when he lasered a backhand return down the line breaking for the second time in a row.

This time, the US Open confirmed the break with command, holding at love for 5-3.

Curling a crosscourt forehand brought Medvedev double set point. Norrie erased both then moved forward to thump a smash for break point. When Medvedev netted a backhand, Norrie broke back to level after 10 games.

Throughout the set, Medvedev answered breaks immediately.

The world No. 1 drew an errant forehand earning his third break for 6-5. Serving for the set a second time, Medvedev made no mistakes stamping his second love hold to snatch a one-set lead after 58 minutes.

Swinging more freely with a one-set lead, Medvedev was moving smoothly in the second set. Norrie tried to switch it up playing the drop shot, but Medvedev caught up to it, hit the re-dropper then volleyed down the line breaking to start the second set.

🏆

Soak it in, @DaniilMedwed!@AbiertoLosCabos pic.twitter.com/ct1M9ZwXe4

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 7, 2022

A fierce Medvedev dominated the set dispensing the bagel to improve to 31-10 on the season.

“Every match was very good, but the final is always special,” Medvedev said. “In the final, you play the best player of this week. It’s always a high level match and I’m really happy that I managed to show some good level, some good shots, in such an important match.”

Medvedev moves on to Montreal where he is top seed at the National Bank Open and scheduled to face either Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios or Sebastian Baez in his opener.