<p class="title">Russian Daniil Medvedev survived cramps and tantrums where he cracked a racquet to clinch his first Masters 1000 title on Sunday with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win over David Goffin in the final of the Cincinnati Masters.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Medvedev saved two breaks points while serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set before winning the next four, three of them with aces to close out his dogged Belgian opponent.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was the second title of the year for Medvedev, who had lost on the past two Sundays, to Nick Kyrgios in Washington and Rafa Nadal in Montreal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It would be not a good feeling if I lost three finals in a row so it's just a relief and I'm so happy," he said in a courtside interview with ESPN after playing his 16th match in 20 days.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I started feeling cramps at 5-3 (in the second set), the first time in three weeks I started cramping, probably because of the nerves and it's been 24 days in a row I played tennis.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I started cramping quite hard, so last game, 15-40, I know if it's going to be five-all I'm in a bad position.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I made four serves that he didn't return and three of them were aces. It's just unbelievable."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The pressure perhaps showed in the final game when Medvedev hurled his racquet to the ground after losing a point, but the temper tantrum was short-lived and he regrouped quickly to clinch his fifth title in two years.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, Goffin did well to force a first set tiebreak by holding serve, including winning a 29-rally point.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But the Belgian, without a victory since 2017, lost the tiebreak on a double-fault.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“He played unbelievable the last three weeks,” Goffin said. “He's super solid. He doesn't miss. It's like playing against a wall. That's why everybody is struggling, because he's so consistent, now with more confidence.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">Medvedev, who beat world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, plans a short rest before the U.S. Open starts in eight days.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I need some days off," he said. "I've been playing tennis for so long in a row. I just need to stay in bed for a few days watching the TV 24 hours a day.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Hopefully I can regroup and get to the U.S. Open fresh."</p>
<p class="title">Russian Daniil Medvedev survived cramps and tantrums where he cracked a racquet to clinch his first Masters 1000 title on Sunday with a 7-6(3) 6-4 win over David Goffin in the final of the Cincinnati Masters.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Medvedev saved two breaks points while serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set before winning the next four, three of them with aces to close out his dogged Belgian opponent.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It was the second title of the year for Medvedev, who had lost on the past two Sundays, to Nick Kyrgios in Washington and Rafa Nadal in Montreal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It would be not a good feeling if I lost three finals in a row so it's just a relief and I'm so happy," he said in a courtside interview with ESPN after playing his 16th match in 20 days.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I started feeling cramps at 5-3 (in the second set), the first time in three weeks I started cramping, probably because of the nerves and it's been 24 days in a row I played tennis.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I started cramping quite hard, so last game, 15-40, I know if it's going to be five-all I'm in a bad position.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I made four serves that he didn't return and three of them were aces. It's just unbelievable."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The pressure perhaps showed in the final game when Medvedev hurled his racquet to the ground after losing a point, but the temper tantrum was short-lived and he regrouped quickly to clinch his fifth title in two years.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, Goffin did well to force a first set tiebreak by holding serve, including winning a 29-rally point.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But the Belgian, without a victory since 2017, lost the tiebreak on a double-fault.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“He played unbelievable the last three weeks,” Goffin said. “He's super solid. He doesn't miss. It's like playing against a wall. That's why everybody is struggling, because he's so consistent, now with more confidence.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">Medvedev, who beat world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, plans a short rest before the U.S. Open starts in eight days.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I need some days off," he said. "I've been playing tennis for so long in a row. I just need to stay in bed for a few days watching the TV 24 hours a day.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Hopefully I can regroup and get to the U.S. Open fresh."</p>