By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday May 14, 2024
Paul snapped a 13-match losing streak against the Top 40 on clay with one of the biggest wins of his career.
Photo Source: TTV
At Indian Wells this year, Tommy Paul took the first set from Daniil Medvedev by the score of 6-1, then famously twisted an ankle in the second-set tiebreaker on the way to a 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 loss to the Russian.
On Tuesday at the Foro Italicao, Paul took the opener 6-1 once again, and made no mistake after that as the 26-year-old American knocked out the defending champion and notched his biggest ever clay court win to reach the Rome quarterfinals, 6-1, 6-4.
Paul has had very little success on clay in his career, and entered Tuesday’s contest with an 0-13 record against the Top 40 on the surface (he’s now 19-24 overall on clay), but he was the better player from start to finish against the No.2 seed and needed just 73 minutes to end Medvedev’s hope of completing a first successful title defense.
20-time ATP title winner Medvedev has won each of his titles at a different venue, but as the draw broke wide open with Novak Djokovic’s loss to Alejandro Tabilo two days ago, it was starting to feel like Medvedev might be able to repeat his magic of a year ago in Rome.
Paul had other ideas.
He notched his seventh career Top 5 win – and first on clay – as he notched five breaks of serve against Medvedev and overcame a break deficit early in both sets.
“It was a pretty clean match for me,” Paul said. “Other than maybe the first or second game in both sets. I kind of started a little slow but then picked up and played some really good tennis. I played pretty aggressive – that was the game plan coming in.”
14th-seeded and 16th-ranked Paul earns his first win over Medvedev in four tries.
“He beat the breaks off of me last year,” the American said. “And got me at Indian Wells, so this one was good.”
Feeling Better than ever on Clay
Paul’s record on clay appears to be a little out of sync with his capabilities on the surface. In Rome he has won three in a row on clay for the first time since 2021. With second-round points to defend at Roland-Garros, he hopes he can continue his push and move higher in the rankings.
“I love [the clay],” Paul said on court. “And that’s the first time I’ve said that in a long time, really. I think I’ve had a little bit of training before the clay court season this year and it really helped. I’m really comfortable and I’m having fun out here.”
With Taylor Fritz also reaching the quarterfinals, two Americans have made the last eight in Rome for the first time since Andy Roddick and James Blake did so in 2008.
Paul will face Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals; Fritz will take on Alexander Zverev.