New York (AFP) – American Frances Tiafoe swept past former champion Daniil Medvedev in straight sets Sunday to advance to the quarter-finals of the US Open. A two-time semi-finalist at New York’s Flushing Meadows, the 11th-seeded Tiafoe defeated seventh-seeded Medvedev of Russia 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) to reach the quarter-finals for the fourth time in five years. Medvedev held leads in two of the three sets, but was outplayed by the American at key junctures.
“I played well when it counted,” Tiafoe said. “Yeah, I came up with some crazy stuff, but it had to be that good against such a quality player in Daniil.” Tiafoe enjoyed loud support from the crowd in Louis Armstrong Stadium, where he has never lost. After the match, Tiafoe stood before the crowd and pointed to his ear, asking for noise. He also took a virtual basketball shot, acknowledging hoop stars Lisa Leslie, AJ Dybantsa, and Victor Oladipo who were in his cheering section.
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“The energy has been amazing,” Tiafoe told a court-side interviewer. “It’s like the people’s court. I’m loving the energy for sure.” Medvedev had won six of seven prior matches against the American, including a straight-set drubbing in the same round of the 2020 US Open. But Medvedev, who won the US Open in 2021 for his only Grand Slam, has had an up-and-down 2026. He has won two ATP titles and notched a win over Carlos Alcaraz at the prestigious Indian Wells tournament.
However, Medvedev, who has reached six career Grand Slam finals, failed this year to advance beyond the round of 16 at any Grand Slam. Medvedev served for the first set but was broken at 6-5 and then lost the tiebreaker decisively. Too often, Medvedev was unable to consolidate lead. He hit a brilliant backhand overhead to take a 4-3 lead in the third-set tiebreaker but followed it up with a feeble backhand error. Still, the Russian held a set point in the third-set tiebreaker.
But Tiafoe got the better of a net exchange between the men, then proceeded to take the next two points to seal the win. “I should have played better in some moments of the match,” Medvedev said. “I should have made better shots, better decisions, actually. That’s what made the difference.” Tiafoe, who reached the final of the pre-US Open warmup tournament in Cincinnati, will next play fellow American Alex Michelsen, a 22-year-old who will play his first Grand Slam quarter-final. Michelsen beat 27th-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 6-4.
In the 2022 semi-finals, Tiafoe lost in five sets to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who would go on later that weekend to win his first Grand Slam title. The two men are in the same half of the draw and are now just one round away from a potential rematch if both win their next matches.
© 2024 AFP
