Red-hot Medvedev beats Tsitsipas to reach Shanghai final

Russian tennis player beats Greek star 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 on Saturday

SHANGHAI: Daniil Medvedev reached a staggering ninth final this year as he defeated fellow rising star Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Shanghai Masters on Saturday.

The US Open finalist from Russia plays Alexander Zverev of Germany or Italy's Matteo Berrettini in Sunday's decider as the next generation takes centre stage in China.

The 23-year-old Medvedev, who has lifted three titles in a breakthrough 2019, beat Greece's Tsitsipas 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.

Medvedev has now seen off the 21-year-old — who defeated world number one Novak Djokovic on Friday — in all five of their matches.

There was nothing in it as they entered the first-set tie break after 43 minutes of high-quality tennis.

Seventh-ranked Tsitsipas blinked first, gifting set point when he shanked a forehand and then doing the same moments later to put the fourth-ranked Russian a set up.

Medvedev broke the Greek — who repeatedly tried to gee up the crowd — in the third game of the second set.

The Russian served for the match at 5-4, only for Tsitsipas to dig in and break for 5-5, before Medvedev did likewise.

Tsitsipas smacked the ball out the court in a rage, before Medvedev sealed match in the 12th game of the second set.

The 22-year-old Zverev — who ousted Roger Federer on Friday — and Berrettini, 23, play their semi-final later Saturday.