There is something about the US Open that brings out the best in Daniil Medvedev who secured his place in the semi-finals for the third year in a row.
In his latest match, the Russian world No.2 dropped a set for the first time in this year’s tournament before ending the fairytale run of Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5. Throughout the encounter, Medvedev won 83% of his first service points and fired 36 winners past his opponent to continue his impressive record in New York. Since 2019 he has won 16 out of 18 matches played with his two losses being to players who went on to win the title – Rafael Nadal in the 2019 final and Dominic Thiem in the 2020 semi-finals.
“I’m really happy to be in the semis again, the third time in a row. I couldn’t dream of it maybe four years ago, but now it’s three,” Medvedev said during his press conference.
“About the match, tough match. The first two sets were kind of under control. He was missing some balls, some important points. So it was feeling easy, I should say. Then the third and fourth set was really tough. He played top-level, served really big.’
“I’m really happy that in the fourth I managed to hold my serve really easily and break him in the end where I had few opportunities to do before also.”
Yet to win a Grand Slam title at the age of 25, some believe it is only a matter of time before he does so. Since 2018 Medvedev has become a dominant force on the hardcourts by winning 11 titles, playing in 16 finals and recording a total of 145 wins on the surface. In all three of those areas, no player has recorded better numbers than him on the ATP Tour during that period.
Medvedev has only lost two matches since the conclusion of Wimbledon which was against Pablo Carreno Busta and the Olympics and Andrey Rublev at the Cincinnati Masters. He will be hoping to continue his winning momentum in the semi-finals where he will take on Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime who is through to the last four of a major for the first time. Auger-Aliassime defeated Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz who retired from their match with an abductor problem.
“Experience is not everything because when I was in my first semis of a slam, I won it. Doesn’t mean if you’re there for the first time you’re gonna lose it,” said Medvedev who last played the Canadian back in 2018.
“But I like that I have this experience. I know how it is. I’m not gonna be tight. I know that. It’s a question about tennis. If I play good, it’s going to be not easy for my opponent. That’s the most important thing I’m gonna try to do.”
Looking further ahead, Medvedev could face Novak Djokovic in the final should the draw go according to the seedings. The world No.1 is on the verge of achieving a calendar slam where a player wins all four major tournaments within the same year. The prospect of a potential showdown with the Serbian is something Medvedev isn’t fazed by. In fact, it is the complete opposite.
“I don’t think about him, because as we saw, anybody can beat anybody. If he’s in the final, and if I’m there, I’m happy. He’s also happy, I guess,” Medvedev said. “I’m not going to root or cheer for somebody. I’m just going to enjoy the tennis and then prepare for the winner. It’s the same every match.”
The odds of Medvedev winning this year’s tournament are higher than before with two members of the Big Three absent due to injury. Roger Federer continues to nurse a knee problem after recently undergoing another surgery and Rafael Nadal is hindered by a foot injury. Frances Tiafoe had previously said the tournament atmosphere is different in a way due to the absence of the duo. A view now shared by Medvedev.
“I don’t feel the change of the energy [in the locker room], again, talking for myself. I always try to do my best,” Medvedev stated. “I don’t care if Roger or Rafa are here. I want to win the tournament. It’s going to be tougher if they were here, and of course it would be tougher if they would be 30 years old. But I just want to do my best, so I don’t care if they are here or not.”
Medvedev is bidding to become only the third Russian man to win the US Open title.
