Stefanos Tsitsipas set up a thrilling showdown against Daniil Medvedev at the Shanghai Masters after defeating Alexandre Muller in the third-round.
Another match delayed two days by the rain, Stefanos Tsitsipas looked mostly in control as he rallied past Alexandre Muller on Tuesday.
The Greek’s 6-3, 7-5 win sets up a 14th meeting between the pair, with Daniil Medvedev currently comfortably out in front 9-4.
While their rivalry has often spilled over into messy press conferences and on-court jibes, the feisty pair seem to have turned a corner in their previously fractious relationship.
Stefanos Tsitsipas u-turns Daniil Medvedev assessment after being proven ‘wrong’
It’s fair to say little love has been lost between the two over the years, with Tsitsipas and Medvedev’s bickering dating back to 2018.
In the same team at the Laver Cup, Medvedev was quick to dispel the rumours that he hated Tsitsipas – something the Greek has now also echoed.
Speaking in his press conference via Punto de break, Tsitsipas said: “He’s someone I respect much more now than before. We’ve had some heated encounters on the court, but all that’s in the past; we had time to talk and reach a common understanding. “I always like to settle things that way,” he explained. “I prefer not to leave them pending.
“It took us some time, that’s true, but it was positive to clear the air and ensure that tennis has peace instead of war.
The Greek went on to praise the Russian on his quirky game style and unique approach to the sport. “I think Daniil has brought many unconventional aspects to tennis; in the past, I might have said negative things about his game, but I would have been wrong.
“That’s what makes him unique as a player; he brings another dimension to tennis in terms of how to play or do things differently. It’s something he’s contributing to the game and will be remembered for generations.”
When was the last time Stefanos Tsistipas and Daniil Medvedev faced each other?
With the Russian having won their first five ATP level matches, The Greek has done rather well to recover since.
With their next eight split equally, Medvedev has been able to get the better of Tsitsipas in their last two meetings, despite having not faced each other for over a year.
It was the semi-final in Vienna where the Russian last downed his foe-turned-friend, in a straight-sets victory.
Having has the stronger year after Tsitsipas’ coaching changes and form woes, the Russian again antlers the more likely to win.
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