Facing off at the Australian Open on Wednesday, Medvedev eased into the semifinals with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 victory, and has now won all ten sets they have played at the tour level, adding to last year’s US Open quarterfinal win.
“We had some unbelievable rallies. After the point, it’s tough to breathe. I think I’m one of the first players to make Andrey that tired on the court, so I’m quite happy about it,” Medvedev said in his on-court interview.
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The Russian, whose unbeaten stretch now includes 11 victories over Top 10 opposition, is through to his first major semifinal. With his run, Medvedev is on his way to surpassing Dominic Thiem at No. 3 in the rankings for the first time. The 24-year-old awaits the winner of 20-time major champion Rafael Nadal and 2019 semifinalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Before the match Medvedev stated that on-field Andrey is his competitor, but after the match they are great friends.
“It’s our job – of course during the match we’re going to try to win, fight for our best,” said Medvedev
“After the match we are great friends.”
Medvedev got cramp during the match
After completing the match, Medvedev required a quick treatment on his left quad for cramping.
Medvedev didn’t show it to others while the match was going on. He managed to make some big serves and then at the end; it locked completely.
“The three last points when I was getting ready for the serve, I could not really move my left leg, so it was not easy. I knew if I would lose the game, he was going to see it, so I’m happy that I won the game,” Medvedev shared.
The defeat marked Rublev’s first of 2021 after opening the season 8-0.
” We’re going to play I hope for many, many years, so at least once I think I will have a chance (laughing). At the US Open I had chances; I had set points. Here I had break points. And then one day, it’s going to be my day,” Said the world No. 8 on his winless head-to-head record against Medvedev.
Medvedev spent just two hours and five minutes on court, which can only be a good thing for him ahead of his semi-final showdown with either fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or 20-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal on Friday evening. That created 19 wins on the trot for Medvedev and makes his first appearance in the final four at Melbourne Park.
