Tsitsipas Sets up Medvedev Clash in Shanghai Masters

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in action during his Men's Singles round of 32 match against Alexandre Muller of France at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai, China, 08 October 2024. (EPA)
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in action during his Men's Singles round of 32 match against Alexandre Muller of France at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai, China, 08 October 2024. (EPA)
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Tsitsipas Sets up Medvedev Clash in Shanghai Masters

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in action during his Men's Singles round of 32 match against Alexandre Muller of France at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai, China, 08 October 2024. (EPA)
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in action during his Men's Singles round of 32 match against Alexandre Muller of France at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai, China, 08 October 2024. (EPA)

Stefanos Tsitsipas' rivalry with Daniil Medvedev will add another chapter after the Greek player beat Alexandre Muller 6-3, 7-5 at the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday.

The 12th-ranked Tsitsipas and the Russian former US Open champion will meet for a 14th time, and first in nearly a year. The fifth-ranked Medvedev has a commanding 9-4 lead in the head-to-head series, which has spilled over into a war of words off the court in the past.

“I consider him someone that I respect on the tour, much more than I did before," Tsitsipas said. "We’ve had some heated things on the court in the past, but I think those things have resolved themselves over time, and we also had the time to speak about those things and have a common understanding of why these things happen.

“What is missing is trying to get a good win under my belt, and that will redeem my efforts for so far of trying to get better. My whole goal is to get out there, play the best tennis that I can.”

Tsitsipas had to wait out a two-day rain delay to play his third-round match against Muller, but looked in complete control until losing his serve at 5-3 in the second set. Unperturbed, the Greek broke back to love to clinch the match and renew his six-year rivalry with Medvedev.

No. 16-ranked Ben Shelton put away Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 6-4, firing eight aces and 24 winners to line up top seed Jannik Sinner in the fourth round.

Seventh-ranked Taylor Fritz also advanced with ease, beating Japan's Yosuke Watanuki 6-3, 6-4, while Grigor Dimitrov, playing in his 100th Masters event, beat Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Gael Monfils upset 15th-ranked Ugo Humbert 7-6 (7), 2-6, 6-1 in an all-French matchup. The 38-year-old Monfils, ranked 46th, is the second oldest player to reach the Shanghai fourth round in Shanghai, behind only Roger Federer (also 38) in 2019.

“It’s never easy to play Ugo, he’s really aggressive, playing fast off both wings and takes a lot of time from you,” said Monfils, who plays second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz next.

“Carlos is in a confident mood (having) just won a tournament (China Open), so that’s going to be a tough one for sure.”

Also, Tomas Machac, who made the semifinals in Tokyo, eased past Australian Alexander Vukic 6-4, 6-2 and next faces No. 13-ranked Tommy Paul in the third round.

Later Tuesday, four-time champion Novak Djokovic plays his third-round match against Flavio Cobolli, bidding to capture his 100th tour-level title. Third-ranked Alexander Zverev faces Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in a night match.

Wuhan Open Katerina Siniakova had a comfortable 6-3, 6-1 victory over Alexandra Eala of the Philippines to set up a second-round match against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Second-ranked Sabalenka, who won the title the last time it was played in 2019, needs only to make the quarterfinals at Wuhan to regain top spot in the rankings from Iga Swiatek, who withdrew from the women’s Asian swing citing fatigue and personal reasons. Swiatek recently split with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski.

Magda Linette of Poland routed No. 23-ranked Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 6-2, and Ekaterina Alexandrova beat former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin of the US 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

Other winners included Britain’s Katie Boulter, American Amanda Anisimova, Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova and Romania's Jaqueline Cristian, who has Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen next,

After snapping a 24-match losing streak at the China Open last week, Zhang Shuai’s change of fortune turned in Wuhan as she lost to Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-4 in the first round.

The top eight seeds, including Sabalenka and China Open champion Coco Gauff, received a first-round bye.



Adidas Replaces Puma as Mercedes F1 Partner Post-Hamilton

Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 8, 2024 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in his car after finishing fourth in his last race for Mercedes. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 8, 2024 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in his car after finishing fourth in his last race for Mercedes. (Reuters)
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Adidas Replaces Puma as Mercedes F1 Partner Post-Hamilton

Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 8, 2024 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in his car after finishing fourth in his last race for Mercedes. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 8, 2024 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in his car after finishing fourth in his last race for Mercedes. (Reuters)

German apparel and footwear brand Adidas will enter Formula One as kit suppliers to the Mercedes Formula One team in a multi-year partnership announced on Tuesday for the new post-Lewis Hamilton era.

Puma previously partnered the once-dominant team, who finished fourth overall in seven-times world champion Hamilton's last season before he moved to Ferrari.

The Adidas deal was expected and had been flagged up in media reports already last year after leaked images of branded apparel.

Mercedes said the specially-designed kit would also be made available to fans, with limited editions planned through the year.

The range will include apparel, footwear and accessories and will be unveiled next month before the season starts in Australia on March 16.

"Our partnership with Adidas is a clear statement of intent as we begin to write our next chapter as a team," said Mercedes principal Toto Wolff in a statement.

Hamilton, who turned 40 on Tuesday, has been replaced at the team by 18-year-old Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli who will partner George Russell.

Mercedes also had fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger, for whom Hamilton was an ambassador, as a partner last season.

Adidas lost out to Nike last year in bidding to supply the Germany national teams from 2027 to 2034.