New York (AFP) – Former champion Daniil Medvedev survived a determined effort from 22-year-old Flavio Cobolli to reach the fourth round of the US Open on Saturday for the sixth straight year. Russia’s Medvedev, seeded fifth, went down a break twice in the third set but recovered each time to triumph 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.
The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd threw its support behind the 22-year-old Italian as he pushed Medvedev through a series of entertaining rallies. But the experienced Medvedev, with his uncanny defensive skills, proved too much for the number 31 seed, lifting his level when it mattered most to deny Cobolli a first Grand Slam fourth round berth.
“It was a tough match,” Medvedev said. “He was just a little bit up and down and at one point started playing much better on my serve than his, so a tricky match.” Medvedev won the last three games of the contest, sealing it on his second match point.
“It was a fun match to play,” said Medvedev, who will face Portugal’s Nuno Borges for a place in the quarter-finals. He defeated Borges in their only prior meeting at the same stage of the Australian Open this year.
“He surprised me with how much power he has,” Medvedev said of Borges. “Very, very aggressive player, so not an easy match,” added Medvedev, who took note that Borges saved three match points on the way to victory over Jakub Mensik on Saturday.
Medvedev is the only former champion remaining in the draw after the early exits of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. He lifted the trophy in 2021, beating Djokovic in the final to deny the Serb a rare calendar Grand Slam. Medvedev reached the final at the Australian Open this year and the semi-finals at Wimbledon, but he hasn’t won a title since the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome in May of last year.
© 2024 AFP
