Basilashvili takes the first set
It took Nikoloz Basilashvili 52 minutes to steal the opening set from Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s ATP 250 final in Almaty. He won the tie-break 7-6, and for a moment the defending champion looked rattled.
It did not last. Medvedev, the top seed, ran off the second set 6-1 in under 25 minutes and closed the third 6-3. Final score: 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-3, and the trophy stays in Kazakhstan.
no renewal
Free for 2 weeks.
An odd week for the champion
Medvedev’s path had a strange shape. His semi-final lasted one set, which he won 6-3, before Alexander Bublik retired with a knee injury. That made the final his first real test of the week.
Basilashvili came in with a notable win of his own. Ranked 158th, he had knocked out Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semis, a run few expected from him. It ended one step short.
Four titles in 2026
This was Medvedev’s 45th career final and his fourth title of the season, following Brisbane, Dubai and Hangzhou. The world number five heads toward the end of the year with a solid season behind him, and a first-set wobble that was forgotten within half an hour.
Discover the rest of our Tennis news on MathODDS!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply