Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

Medvedev survives Toronto scare as Tsitsipas ends Ruud's winning run.

Daniil Medvedev narrowly avoided a repeat of his Wimbledon upset loss to Hubert Hurkacz in Toronto.

Daniil Medvedev

Toronto, August 14: Daniil Medvedev avenged a Wimbledon loss to Hubert Hurkacz in a three-set thriller while Stefanos Tsitsipas made impressively light work of the in-form Casper Ruud at the National Bank Open.

Top seed and world number two Medvedev appeared headed for another defeat to Hurkacz before fighting back to prevail 2-6 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) and reach the semi-finals.

The Pole won a five-setter at Wimbledon in the pair's only previous meeting before going on to stun Roger Federer and reach the semis, but could not repeat his feat in Toronto.

Medvedev and Tsitsipas move on in Toronto as Nadal withdrawsMedvedev and Tsitsipas move on in Toronto as Nadal withdraws

Though Medvedev failed to convert the only two break point opportunities he had, his work in the tiebreaks was enough to put him over the top as he served 23 aces to nine for Hurkacz.

The Russian now faces a semi-final matchup against John Isner, who won a clash of veterans with 11th seed Gael Monfils 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.

Earlier Friday, Tsitsipas claimed a 6-1 6-4 victory over Ruud, who entered the clash having won each of his previous 13 matches.

It was Tsitsipas' 45th win of the season, a figure unmatched by anyone else on the ATP tour, and he needed just 74 minutes to complete it.

The 23-year-old won each of the first five games of the match and only made four unforced errors in the opening set.

Although Norway's Ruud improved in the second, he failed to make the most of a rare break opportunity and that seemed to jolt Tsitsipas into life again, the Greek swiftly breaking and then serving out the match.

"It is very nice to see myself perform at this level," Tsitsipas said afterwards. "I was sticking close to the baseline and coming in, taking the ball early. It was my intention from the very beginning, and it worked perfectly.

"Playing against a guy like him, who gets every single ball back, is always very challenging. There is some sort of concentration levels you have to reach to perform to your best. These kinds of matches always teach me things that I can expose for next time."

Up next for Tsitsipas as he targets a place in the final is Reilly Opelka, the big-serving American who defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3 7-6 (7-1), plundering 18 aces along the way.

Story first published: Saturday, August 14, 2021, 15:33 [IST]
Other articles published on Aug 14, 2021