Tim Van Rijthoven stunned Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-1 to complete a dream week at the Libema Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch with the win gaving the World No. 205 a maiden ATP Tour title.
The Dutch wild card playing in his maiden championship match on just his second appearance in a tour-level main draw showed no sign of nerves in front of an ecstatic home crowd.
Van Rijthoven enjoyed a bright start to his first tour-level meeting with Medvedev, breaking the World No. 2 in the second game to move ahead early.
His lead was short-lived as he was pegged back immediately by the top seed who restored parity at 2-2 with a break of his own.
The opening set seemed destined for a tie-break when Van Rijthoven struck again for a crucial break in the 10th game, converting his first break point on the Medvedev serve to clinch it 6-4.
With momentum on his side, the Dutchman raced into a 5-0 lead in the second set before serving out the match to love to become the lowest-ranked tour-level winner of 2022.
The defeat means Medvedev remains trophy-less for 2022.
The 26-year-old’s run in ‘s-Hertogenbosch culminated in his first tour-level championship match appearance since the Australian Open in January.
Van Rijthoven’s run in ‘s-Hertogenbosch is set to propel the Dutchman up 99 places to a career-high No. 106 update of the ATP Rankings while Medvedev rises to world no.1 as Djokovic failed to defend his French Open title.
As well as Medvedev, Van Rijthoven beat Matthew Ebden, Taylor Fritz, Hugo Gaston and Felix Auger-Aliassime in ‘s-Hertogenbosch to become the first Dutchman to win the ATP 250 event since Sjeng Schalken in 2003.
