Carlos Alcaraz looks fully back, defeats Medvedev at ATP Finals

The difference visually between Carlos Alcaraz on Friday versus the Alcaraz we have seen over the last month is that he appeared to be playing loose and having fun. Prior to Wednesday’s defeat of Andrey Rublev, Carlos Alcaraz seemed sluggish and as if he did not really want to be playing. He was frustrated and looked tired. Now he suddenly looks like himself again.

And while Alcaraz played superbly against Medvedev, the Russian was not playing poorly. Alcaraz was simply the better player. The Spaniard used an array of shots, from crushing forehands to impossibly soft drop shots, to make life fairly miserable for Medvedev. Medvedev had no answer to what Carlos Alcaraz was doing because there was no answer; the Spaniard was in full control of his powers.

In fact, Medvedev only had 5 unforced errors and won nearly 70 percent of his first serves in the first set, and yet he still lost the set. That was how high-level Carlos Alcaraz was playing. In the second set, Medvedev had just three unforced errors, according to livesport.com, and he was broken at the same point as in the first set as the set was previously tied at 4.

Carlos Alcaraz takes down Daniil Medvedev at the ATP Finals

Alcaraz won the match 6-4 6-4. The good thing for both Medvedev and Alcaraz is that neither is done playing this week at the ATP Finals. Due to Alcaraz winning, he is through to the semifinals. Medvedev was already assured a place with his victories earlier in the week.

The semifinals will now feature Carlos Alcaraz versus Novak Djokovic in one match and Jannik Sinner versus Medvedev in the other semi. So tennis fans will get to see Djokovic facing Alcaraz one final time in 2023, but it just won’t be in the final of a tournament. Both semis will be must-watch tennis.

Of the four players left, Sinner has the most money to play for. He hasn’t yet lost a match while the others have. Should Sinner win his next two matches, he will earn $4,801,500 for being an undefeated champion. Still, my guess is that the way Carlos Alcaraz has played his last two matches, he will be the winner of the ATP Finals.