Medvedev wins Tokyo, upsetting local hope Nishikori

Russian Daniil Medvedev is the Tokyo champion, earning the biggest title of his career with a commanding 6-2 6-4 win over local favourite Kei Nishikori.

The 22-year-old fired eight aces in the 63-minute match, remarkably losing only five points on serve against a player considered one of the game’s best returners. It was Medvedev’s first career win against Nishikori, who won the tournament in 2012 and 2014.

“He’s a great champion,” Medvedev said of his Japanese opponent.

“He is one of the best players in our sport and that makes my win even more important to me.”

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Medvedev has now won three titles so far this season, following victories in Sydney and Winston-Salem. This is his first at ATP 500 level – and he also becomes the first qualifier to win the Tokyo title.

“I’m just really happy. I’ve been showing amazing tennis here. I’m happy that what I have been doing all season in practice, physical workouts, worked out here in Tokyo,” Medvedev told ATPWorldTour.com.

“This is my biggest title, so I’m just really happy.”

Daniil does it in Tokyo! ????

The moment that @DaniilMedwed became the first qualifier in history to claim the Tokyo title.

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— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 7, 2018

Medvedev is projected to rise 10 spots to a career-high ranking of No.22 next week and will replace Karen Khachanov as his nation’s top-ranked player.

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The in-form Russian has won 18 of his past 21 matches, with his win over the 12th-ranked Nishikori being his biggest scalp of the season.

He will have improved his ranking by 46 places when next Monday’s rankings are released; he was ranked 68th at the beginning of August.

Medvedev beat three top-20 opponents this week in the Japanese capital and dropped just one set in his seven matches.

Nishikori has now lost eight consecutive ATP singles finals – winning his last title in February 2016.

There was better news for local fans earlier in the day, with Japanese player Ben McLachlan teaming with German Jan-Lennard Struff to win the doubles title. They defeated South African Raven Klaasen and New Zealand’s Michael Venus 6-4 7-5 in the final.