Not only had 2019 runner-up Daniil Medvedev not dropped a set in this US Open entering his all-Russian quarterfinal against long-time pal Andrey Rublev, but Medvedev hadn’t allowed more than four games in any set.
So when Rublev grabbed a sizable lead in the opening-set tiebreaker on Wednesday and three times was a single point from closing it, the moment felt momentous.
Turned out it was. The No 3-seeded Medvedev fought off that trio of chances for No 10 Rublev in the tiebreaker by reeling off five points in a row, and was on his way to a 7-6 (6), 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory to return to the semifinals at Flushing Meadows.
The only concern for Medvedev in the latter stages was whether his body would hold up — he was dealing with cramps and needed his right shoulder massaged by a trainer in the third set — but he did, indeed, hold on. “It was tough at the end,” Medvedev said.
It’s been 60 years since a man won this Grand Slam tournament without ceding a set; Neale Fraser did so in 1960 at the event then known as the US Championships. A year after losing to Rafael Nadal in a five-set final that lasted nearly five hours, Medvedev heads to his second career major semifinal.
He will now face No 2 seed Dominic Thiem for the title showdown place, who bulldozed 21st seed Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in just 2 hours 4 minutes.
The other semifinal on Friday will be No 5 Alexander Zverev vs No 20 Pablo Carreño Busta, who won quarterfinals on Tuesday. None of the remaining men has won a Grand Slam title.