Novak Djokovic advances to final at Astana Open after Daniil Medvedev shockingly retires
Novak Djokovic isn't typically confused when he wins a tennis match, but on Saturday he definitely was.
Djokovic was playing world No. 4 Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the Astana Open, and had just forced a winner-take-all third set after winning the second-set tiebreaker. Just after Djokovic was done celebrating his win, Medvedev walked over to him and said he had to retire from the match.
Medvedev Forced to Retire! 😳
After @DjokerNole took the second set, Medvedev has withdrawn due to injury in Astana#AstanaOpen pic.twitter.com/w33Iyozrce— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 8, 2022
It was surprising to say the least. Medvedev looked good in the first set, winning 6-4, and had almost won the whole match in the second set. Djokovic looked positively shellshocked after Medvedev told him the news, and sounded disappointed that they wouldn't be able to play the final set when he spoke about it after the match.
Novak Shocked by Medvedev Withdrawal!
"It's a shock! I was ready for a third set battle".#AstanaOpen pic.twitter.com/uk9bXNHIog— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 8, 2022
Djokovic: ‘I was surprised he retired the match. He looked completely fine. Maybe the last 6-7 points a bit slower. He told me he pulled his adductor muscle. I hope it’s not too serious. He was the better player in both sets.’
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) October 8, 2022
The reason for Medvedev's retirement was a pulled leg muscle, which he confirmed when he spoke to the media. He said that he felt it in his leg after he had to go to the net in back-to-back shots, and decided to retire because he knew he'd lose the third set and didn't want to risk making the injury worse.
Djokovic, who currently sits at No. 7 in the ATP rankings, now advances to the final of the Astana Open. He'll face Stefanos Tsitsipas, the No. 6 in the world, on Sunday.
