Rome was still a great success
Zverev’s “arch enemy” destroys Hanfmann’s tennis fairy tale
05/18/2023, 5:48 p.m
The Russian world-class tennis player Daniil Medvedev is also too strong for qualifier Yannick Hanfmann. For the 31-year-old from Karlsruhe, the first quarter-finals in a tournament in the most important category after the Grand Slam events is still a success.
The surprising triumph of tennis pro Yannick Hanfmann at the ATP Masters in Rome has stopped. In the quarter-finals of the 1000 tournament, the 31-year-old lost 2-6, 2-6 to world number three Daniil Medvedev from Russia. For the qualifier Hanfmann, entering the top eight was the greatest success of his career.
Hanfmann was comforted by the prize money of 161,525 euros and a huge leap in the world rankings over the clear defeat. The Karlsruher climbs to at least 65th place in the ranking on Monday and is therefore the third best German behind the new number one Jan-Lennard Struff (Warstein) and Alexander Zverev (Hamburg). His best finish so far was 92nd.
Medvedev too big for Zverev
Olympic champion Zverev had previously also lost to Medvedev and is still looking for his top form before the French Open in Paris (from May 28). Medvedev, who has already won the tournament four times this year, is becoming one of the favorites for the title in Roland Garros on the actually unloved sand.
Hanfmann was not a big challenge for the Russian, although the German had already beaten two top 10 players in the course of the tournament, the American Taylor Fritz and the Russian Andrei Rublev. He had only achieved such a prestigious success once before: in Hamburg in 2021 against the Frenchman Gael Monfils.
Medvedev had become a kind of “archenemy” of Zverev in the past few weeks and months. The last duel between the two superstars in Monte Carlo ended ugly. “He’s one of the most unfair players we have in the world,” Zverev was annoyed about the antics and going to the toilet of the former US Open winner after the defeat in the round of 16. The Russian snapped back. However, there was a debate at the Masters in Madrid.