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Journalism of Courage
Roberto Bautista Agut had faced disappointment in 2013 when he had gone down to Janko Tipsarevic in the Chennai Open final. He made sure that he won’t add to that sorry statistic as he would go on and beat the young and upcoming Daniil Medvedev in the showdown on Sunday.
With the 6-3, 6-4 win, Agut would add to his four titles – two last year – and thus deny the young Russian his first as he made his first final on the ATP Tour.
The contest promised much with Medvedev playing well throughout the week but coming up short on the day that mattered. But the 6’6” Russian has already made a mark and started the year on a bright note after reaching the top-100 in the latter stages of 2016.
There were also hints of fatigue that affected Medvedev’s showing with the Russian calling for the trainer in the second set and then taking a medical timeout for possible cramps in his legs. Later he would admit that he suffered from sore muscles.
For Agut, though, it proved to be an easy win after being all but out against Mikhail Youzhny in the quarters when he trailed by 2-6, 1-4 before turning things around rather miraculously.
The World No 14 Agut used his experience to optimum level to break in the crucial ninth game to take a 5-4 lead in the second set. In that game, Medvedev quite possibly handed the match to the Spaniard with a double fault to bring up the break point and then saw himself trail after a poor approach shot left the court open for Agut to send a backhand winner.
In the first set, Medvedev would lose his serve in the fourth game when the Russian would save two break points but not the third after being found on the run and unable to send a forehand back.
Agut who has made five finals in the last year admitted that getting into the top-10 is the aim as he went on to lift the trophy.
