Medvedev thrashes Borges to reach fifth US Open quarter-final in six editions

Russian Daniil Medvedev, the No 5 seed, won against Portuguese Nuno Borges 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 to advance to the last eight of the US Open on Monday afternoon.

The former US Open champion made his intentions for the match clear immediately, breaking Borges in all three of his service games in the first set, and utilising flawless serving to take the first set 6-0 in 23 minutes. The Nordea Open winner won less than a third of points on both his first and second serve, unable to get any cheap points against the Russian.

In the second set, Borges got off to a somewhat better start by holding in the first game, however, was then broken during his next three service games, and only produced two break points – unsuccessful on both occasions. Medvedev hit just six unforced errors to the Portuguese’s 20 unforced errors, being the far more consistent player and claiming the set 6-1.

Medvedev was broken for the first time in the match early on in the third set, with Borges gaining the lead for 2-1. However, in typical fashion, the Russian broke straight back in a tiringly-long service game from Portugal’s No 1, before not facing another break point, breaking for a 5-3 lead, and serving out the match to love, 6-3.

The 2021 champion has made the last eight in New York on five occasions in the last six editions, with the only exception being his loss to Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round two years ago (7-6(11), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2). Medvedev will seek to make the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the third time this season, which would be a first for the former No 1.

Speaking after yet another victory in New York, and being interviewed by Kyrgios himself, the Russian spoke about the atmosphere at the tournament:

“I love to play here, I have memories of the crazy 2019 run, and especially the final against Rafa (Nadal), whenever I played him the crowd were always for him. I played him being COVID and there was nobody watching, but it felt like the crowd were still for him. I was two-sets-to-love and a break down (in 2019), and all of the sudden the crowd was like ‘we want the match to continue’, and that’s what happens when you are two sets to love up, they always go for the opponent. I love New York; my favourite tournament to play in, my favourite city to play in.”

I love New York, my favourite tournament to play in; my favourite city to play in

Medvedev, ranked No 5, will face the winner of the match between Italian Jannik Sinner, the top seed, and American Tommy Paul, the No 14 seed, next.

In the previous rounds of the US Open, the Russian defeated Serb Dusan Lajovic (6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1), Hungarian Fabian Marozsan (6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (5)) and Italian Flavio Cobolli, the No 31 seed (6-3, 6-4, 6-3).

Borges, ranked No 34, beat Argentinian Federico Coria (6-2, 6-4, 6-1), Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis (6-4, 7-5, 7-5) and Jakub Mensik (6-7 (5), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-0) earlier in the tournament.

New York (Grand Slam), other last 16 results (USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, hard, USD 75.000.000, most recent results first):

• Jannik Sinner vs. Tommy Paul
• Alex De Minaur vs. Jordan Thompson
• Jack Draper (25) beat Tomas Machac: 6-3, 6-1, 6-2
• Frances Tiafoe (20) beat Alexei Popyrin (28): 6-4, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-3
• Alexander Zverev (4) beat Brandon Nakashima: 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2
• Taylor Fritz (12) beat Casper Ruud (8): 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2
• Grigor Dimitrov (9) beat Andrey Rublev (6): 6-3, 7-6 (3), 1-6, 3-6, 6-3