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The title is Medvedev's 12th on the singles circuit and his
third trophy this season after triumphing in Mallorca and
Marseille.
"I could not have dreamt of (this) at one point," Medvedev said
on the court after the match. "I am just happy. I want to
achieve more. I am really happy I achieved this in Canada."
Opelka had a chance to take control in the first set when he was
up 40-love with Medevdev serving in the fourth game. But the
Russian won five straight points to save the set and tie the
match at 2-2.
Medvedev won the next game and never looked back on the way to
the 6-4 set victory.
"He was flawless," Opelka said. "I had one chance to break
early. I don't think that would have changed much because he was
in so many of my service games. When I hit some big shots, he
countered well and it was very tough to disrupt him at all."
Medvedev broke Opelka in the third game of the second set to go
up 2-1. Opelka had a chance to even the scales in the sixth
game, but once again couldn't get the job done.
Medvedev, the No. 2 player in the world, finished the match
having won 23 of 26 first service points and 16 of 26 second
service points. He also saved all four break points while Opelka
only saved 4 of 7.
Opelka was playing in his first ever ATP Masters 1000 tournament
final. Medvedev credited the 23-year-old American, who is ranked
No. 32 in the world, for stepping up to the plate.
"He showed up, he played some really good points," Medvedev
said. "He was fighting until the end. He saved break points in
crucial moments."
Medvedev and Opelka will look to carry the momentum of their
successes in Canada into the U.S. at the Western & Southern
Open. Medvedev is the top seed at the tournament.
In 2019, Medvedev was the runner-up in Montreal before winning
the title in Cincinnati.
"Playing Canada and Cincinnati, the goal is to win as many
matches as possible," Medvedev said. "I was able to do it two
years ago and I will try and do it again."
Western & Southern Open
Argentina's Guido Pella defeated No. 15 seed David Goffin of
Belgium, 6-3, 6-3 in the round of 64 at The Western & Southern
Open in Cincinnati.
Pella, ranked 93rd in the world, broke Goffin's serve twice in
the first set, including the final game, and twice more in the
second set. Goffin, ranked 19th in the world, also
double-faulted five times to just once for Pella.
Also Sunday, France's Benoit Paire defeated Miomir Kecmanovic of
Serbia 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.
Paire scored 11 aces en route to the three-set victory while
saving seven of 10 break points.
France's Richard Gasquet and Corentin Moutet, Spain's Carlos
Alcaraz, Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka, South Africa's Kevin
Anderson, Tommy Paul and Marcos Giron all advanced to the round
of 64 through the qualifying tournament.
--Field Level Media
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