Medvedev marches past Dimitrov into Cincinnati quarter-finals
Daniil Medvedev makes quick work — after an hour rain delay — of Grigor Dimitrov in the Cincinnati third round on Thursday. Medvedev awaits either Hubert Hurkacz or Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarter-finals.
Daniil Medvedev Cincinnati – Tennis Majors
Daniil Medvedev is in ruthless form on North American hard courts and the Big 3 isn’t around to stop him.
The question is: can anyone else?
So far the answer is no. Medvedev won the National Bank Open last week and now he finds himself in the Western & Southern Open quarter-finals after defeating Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 6-3 during third-round action on Thursday afternoon. The Russian converted six of 10 break points and won 75 percent of his second-serve return points while advancing in one hour and 29 minutes.
The match started one hour later than expected, but aside from rain there was nothing in Medvedev’s way.
“It was super hot and humid after the rain,” the world No 2 commented. “It was pretty hot today for both of us. It was a good match; probably a fun match to watch with a lot of hot shots — mostly from his side. He’s a great mover so it’s tough to make points short against him. The tactic was to try to make him play long rallies. He doesn’t like it when you push his backhand a lot of shots in a row.”
Medvedev was always going to face a familiar foe in the quarter-finals — either Hubert Hurkacz or Pablo Carreno Busta — regardless of that match’s outcome. The 25-year-old lost to Carreno Busta at the Tokyo Olympics before beating Hurkacz in three sets in the Toronto semis.
“I lost to Carreno Busta in the Olympics; played Hurkacz in a crazy match last week,” Medvedev noted. “It’s a tough quarterfinal; we’ll see who wins and I will prepare for the winner.”
Carreno Busta beats Hurkacz in two ‘breakers
It turns out that the top seed will get a shot at revenge against Carreno Busta, as the Spaniard battled past Hurkacz 7-6(6), 7-6(3). The contest required two hours and 11 minutes despite lasting only two sets.
Two of the Tokyo medalists are still alive in Cincinnati; joining Carreno Busta (bronze) in the last eight is Alexander Zverev (gold). The fifth-ranked German coasted past Guido Pella 6-2, 6-3 in the third round.
Zverev will meet eighth seed Casper Ruud, who defeated Argentine Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 6-3 in another third-round encounter.
