The Medvedev clan greatly feared this match against De Minaur (13th in the world), this annoying Australian with the footwork so effective in defending and countering. But the Russian, impressive after a very slow start, pulled himself out of the trap to advance to the fourth quarter-final of his career at the US Open, and will face compatriot Andrey Rublev for a place in the semis. .
We would not have given dearly the skin of the former winner (2,021) in the first set. Immediately frustrated after his box, the Russian, broken at 2-2, resorted to an inhaler, citing breathing problems in these very hot and humid conditions at the end of the New York day. Without juice, pissed off, Medvedev lets the sleeve slip away.
But recovers superbly after the toilet break. The match really kicks off at the start of the second set, with a 34-move rally that seems to give the world No. 3 a boost. Medvedev, who had lost the last two face-to-face meetings, gradually manages to find the delicate balance which disturbs the Australian. He knows how to use it in rallies and accelerate wisely, which is not so easy against such a blocker-rider. Of course, he also relies on his service generating free points (11 aces, 81% of points won behind the first ball).
And in this game, it’s De Minaur who ends up making the mistakes first and burning himself out, even if he tries to climb as high as possible (39 times), unable to resist this Russian who is also an expert in the art of sending everything back into rhythm. In the fourth set, Medvedev escapes twelve of a series of thirteen points and concludes his white commitment when serving for the match, concluded in 2:42.
“It was among the most brutal playing conditions ever encountered,” he said after the game. At one point, I thought that I was not going to be able to finish the meeting. And I looked at him, he’s a hell of a fighter, and he was moving less and less well and I was like, ‘OK, I’ll try to fight. And I also especially started to serve better. Against Rublev, it will be intense. When we play against each other, there is often a high level of play…”
2023-09-05 01:36:18
#Medvedev #disgusts #Minaur #advances #quarter
