How good a player is Medvedev?

The fact is that the Semifinal qualufication depends on the match between the Russian Federation team  and the Italian team.   So what happened?

Italy's team consisted of -

*    Berrettini - the world number 7th ranked player; and 

*    Sinner - the world number 10 ranked player.

Russia's team consisted of -

*     Medvedev - the worldf number 2 ranked player; and 

*     Safiullin - the world number 167 ranked player. 

Fact is the Russians won the match and that is a major achievement of Medvedev in particular and that unknown player nobody knew anything about. 

As a result the Russians won Pool B of the competition and is now awaiting which team will qualify for winning Pool C as semi-final opponents.   .      

The 16 teams who started  in the series is now down to four teams  with the semif-nals being -

*     Spain  vs  Poland; and

*     Russia  vs  -  Canada

Surpising outcomes given the fact that Zverev was below par.   Russia has a small cjance of winning and if Rublev was playing would have been a hoy-pot favorite.       

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Spain has beaten Poland in the two singles matches and if  the doubles is played it would eb a show match.

Spain is in the final - where they will face either  face  Canada  or Russia - the latter two teams t o play tomorrow. 

The singles matches in the semi was finalized  with Shapavalov struggled against Safiullin beating him 6-4, 5-7,6-4.   Howe3ver, Medvedev bullied Auger-Aliassime  6.4, 6-0 in the second match.  

I think Russia still has a small chance to get to the final - since they have a chance of winning the doubles game.   

In a very tight doubles match  Canada went through to the final on Sunday.   

I have always maintained that the World ranked player at 167 is not going to get Russia anywhere.  He was better than expected and Russia progressed to the Semi.    

Why Rublev was not used at all in the series remained a mystery.   He picked up the virus in Abu Dhabi together with Shapavalov and Nadal - but was only tested the first time on 27 December 2021  and found positive.   When tested on 31 December 2021 he was cleared and travelled to Australia arriving on 2  January 2022 - the day after Shapovalov arrived.   The latter was allowed to p0lay for Canada - but Rublev was not.    That certainly put a repeat victory by Russia in the tournament beyond hope.  

Vanada ended up winning the Cup and congrats to them - lucky winners - indeed very lucky winners  - But SDhapo and Auger Aliassime are good players - just outside of the Top 10 ranked players in the world.