Daniil Medvedev shrugs off injury to book semi-final spot at US Open

Daniil Medvedev shrugged off an injury scare to beat Andrey Rublev in straight sets and book his place in the US Open semi-finals.

The 2019 runner-up required treatment for a shoulder injury and cramp midway through the third set but managed to wrap up a 7-6 (6), 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory. The Russian saved four set points in the first set tie-break and his win means he is still to drop a set at the tournament.

“It was tough at the end,” Medvedev said. “That’s why maybe first time in almost a year I celebrated my win because it was very tough and I felt like I could get in trouble.”

The first Russian duo in the quarter-finals at a grand slam since Igor Andreev and Nikolay Davydenko at Roland Garros in 2007, Medvedev showed no hesitation during a ruthless, controlled display.

With Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal missing, and the top seed, Novak Djokovic, having been disqualified for hitting a line judge with a ball, Medvedev showed why he is now the bookmakers’ favourite to win in New York.

The third seed never gave Rublev a break chance in the entire match while hammering down 16 aces. Medvedev, who lost an epic five-setter to Nadal in last year’s final, will now await the winner between second seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem and the Australian Alex de Minaur.

source: theguardian.com