Daniil Medvedev turns against Landaluce and advances to the semi-finals of the Rome Open

Daniil Medvedev needed more than two hours to overcome the young Spaniard Martín Landaluce. The Russian, Roma champion in 2023, was behind on the scoreboard but reacted and won 1-6, 6-4 and 7-5. The match took place on the center court this Thursday.

The result places Medvedev in the semifinals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Ele will face the Italian Jannik Sinner, the main favorite for the title. Landaluce, 20 years old and coming from qualifying as a lucky loser, showed good tennis at the beginning but did not maintain the pace.

Medvedev d. Landaluce 1-6 6-4 7-5

Daniil reaches his 1st Rome SF since 2023 when he won the title

Down a break in the 3rd

In true Octopus style, he made Martin uncomfortable

✅18th Masters SF
✅24th win of 2026 (3rd most on tour)

He may not love clay, but he’s a SURVIVOR on… pic.twitter.com/fkDgRglCoC

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 14, 2026

Landaluce dominates first set at a fast pace

The Spaniard started aggressively and broke Medvedev’s serve in the opening games. Ele made good use of his forehand and exploited the Russian’s initial slowness on clay. The set ended in just 25 minutes. Landaluce gave up few points on the service itself.

Medvedev made unforced errors unusual for his pattern. The number 1 in the world ranking seemed uncomfortable with the wind and the speed of the opponent’s ball. The partial score of 6-1 reflected the dominance of the young man, who entered the tournament as an alternate and had already eliminated strong names before.

• Landaluce converted three break points in the first set
• Medvedev only won 41% of the points in the initial serve
• The Spaniard only made four mistakes in the entire set

Russian Reação changes the course of the match

In the second set, Medvedev adjusted his positioning and began to dictate the pace of the rallies. Ele broke Landaluce’s serve in the fourth game and maintained the advantage until the end. The Russian increased the percentage of first serves and reduced errors. The set ended 6-4.

Landaluce tried to respond with variations in height and spin, but felt the physical wear and tear. Aos 20 years old, he was playing in his first quarterfinal in Masters 1000. The Spaniard still managed to return a difficult ball at the end of the set, but did not avoid the loss.

Medvedev showed the experience of those who have already lifted the trophy in Roma. Ele varied the game between slices and flat shots, forcing his rival to run more on the court.

Decisão balanced with comeback in the third set

The third set was the most competitive. Landaluce opened 3-1 and led by a break. Medvedev returned the break in the eighth game and tied at 4-4. From then on, the two players alternated good moments.

The Russian saved two important break points and closed the set at 7-5 with an ace on match point. Ele converted five of 15 break points in the match total. Landaluce fought until the end but couldn’t resist the pressure in the final games.

Medvedev celebrated in a restrained way. Ele changed his racket several times during the game, a sign that he tested different tensions to adapt to the surface. The winner had 28 aces in the match, a high number for a clay court game.

Estatísticas confirm recovery of Medvedev

The Russian dominated the points in the second and third sets. Ele won 72% of points with first serve in these sets. Landaluce, in turn, maintained good performance on the first serve at the beginning but dropped to 60% overall.

Ambos players had double faults controlled. Medvedev registered three, against two from the Spaniard. In total points, the Russian finished with a 94 to 92 advantage.

The victory represents the continuation of Medvedev’s good form in the clay season. Ele had already eliminated Thiago Tirante in the round of 16 with a convincing score. Agora, the challenge is greater against Sinner, who comes from solid victories.

Caminho from Landaluce impresses even in defeat

The young Spaniard went far in the tournament. Como lucky loser, he won three games in a row before facing Medvedev. Sua’s campaign included victories over more experienced players and showed potential to climb the rankings.

Landaluce was born in 2006 and has already accumulated impressive results at ATP level. Roma’s performance should boost his position on the world list to close to the top 80. Ele used his aggressive forehand and mobility well throughout the week.

Medvedev praised his rival after the match in a quick interview. The Russian highlighted the quality of Landaluce’s serve and ground game. The winner’s next commitment will be against Sinner, scheduled for Friday.