Daniil Medvedev serves against Andrey Rublev in a men’s singles quarter-finals match at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center September 9, 2020.
NEW YORK: Third seed Daniil Medvedev continued his march towards a first Grand Slam title on Wednesday powering into the US Open semi-finals with a clinical 7-6(6) 6-3 7-6(5) victory over childhood friend Andrey Rublev.
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 that sends him through to the last four without dropping a set.
No player in the Open Era has won the US Open men’s title without dropping a set.
With Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal missing, and 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 Australian Alex de Minaur.
