Magnificent Medvedev is champion in Paris

Third seed Daniil Medvedev claimed his first Paris Masters title at Bercy Arena yesterday by battling back from a set down to beat Germany’s Alexander Zverev.
The Russian was on top form in a high-quality encounter, winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 to secure his first trophy of the season and the eighth of his career.
“It’s great, I’m really happy. As I always say, I don’t always show this after matches, but I’m always happy to win,” said Medvedev after securing his third Masters title.
Both players will now turn their attentions to the ATP Tour Finals in London, an event won by Zverev in 2018.
Medvedev has had an up-and-down season, but was at his best this week in Paris, continuing his magnificent record on hard courts — all of his ATP titles have come on the surface.
“Before this tournament I wasn’t in great form, zero finals this year and I was crying, well complaining, to my wife, ‘Oh my God, I don’t have the level, not playing well, not even any finals’,” he said.
“But now, three Masters titles, it’s great. I have had the level this week. I managed to keep the pressure on and in the end I broke his level a little bit.”
Fourth seed Zverev, who was bidding for a third straight tournament victory after back-to-back successes on home soil in Cologne, remains without a Masters title since the 2018 Madrid Open after seeing his 12-match winning streak ended.
He has recently denied allegations from his ex-girlfriend Olga Sharypova that he tried to “strangle” her while at last year’s US Open. Zverev hit out at those criticising him after the match.
“I know that right now there are a lot of people who will be trying to wipe a smile off my face, but I’m still smiling under this mask,” said Zverev.
The 24-year-old Medvedev has won two of his last three matches against Zverev, having also beaten him in last year’s Shanghai Masters final, but still trails their head-to-head 5-2.
The world number five outlasted the US Open runner-up in a near-empty Bercy Arena — with France in its second coronavirus lockdown — securing the win after two hours and eight minutes on court.
 Zverev, who knocked out Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, was left to rue a losing run of seven straight games from the end of the second set and into the decider.