New York (AFP)
Serene, sure of his strength and clinical, Daniil Medvedev swallowed the British obstacle Daniel Evans (27th) to prance in the quarterfinals of the US Open, Sunday in New York, unlike the Argentinian Diego Schwartzman surprised by a Dutchman unknown, Botic Van de Zandschulp.
The Russian, who is with the German Alexander Zverev (4th) the main competitor of Novak Djokovic, in search of a more successful historic calendar Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969, has as in the three previous rounds spent less than two hours on Arthur-Ashe court.
One hour and 43 minutes to be precise, to win 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.
Faced with an opponent he was meeting for the first time and who, failing to really upset him, offered a pleasant tennis, made many climbs on the fly, Medvedev took the opportunity to fight well in passings and lobs.
To say the match felt like a sparring session for the 2019 runner-up would be too harsh on Evans, but the latter fell on much harder.
"Now, I just want to reach the final again, to create another memory (than the epic one lost two years ago against Rafael Nadal, editor's note), and hopefully a much better one," said the Russian, smiling but determined.
- "No words" -
After a bleeding first set, formidable in service (13 aces), he only conceded once his engagement, allowing Evans to break in the second set to return 3-3.
But the Briton's hand suddenly became little trembling was immediately punished by the imperturbable Medvedev who pocketed the second round.
In the third set, all resistance having disappeared opposite, Medvedev unwound quietly.
An impressive show of strength, which should make him the overwhelming favorite of the quarterback before opposing him to Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschulp on Tuesday.
Van of ... who?
The question kept being asked in the spans of Flushing Meadows about the 117th world, unknown to the uninitiated, who may have made a name for himself by creating surprise at the expense of Diego Schwartzman (14th).
"I don't really have the words to say how it feels," said the hero of the day, who is competing in the US Open for the first time, moved.
The 25-year-old, from qualifying, who had already had the scalp in the second round of another seed, the Norwegian Casper Ruud, won 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 5- 7, 6-1, at the end of an unlikely scenario.
- Solid Svitolina -
Led two sets to nothing, Schwartzman, who actually faced him for the first time, was often overwhelmed by the winning shots (53 against 30 in total) from his opponent, excelling in particular in a register of counter-attacker and who s 'is shown to be very effective on the fly (38 successful out of 48).
The Argentine, quarter-finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2017 and 2019, then found some grinta to rebel and pocket the next two sets, not without having saved two match points in the fourth.
Would the momentum definitely change?
Not in the least, since Van de Zandschulp kept the pressure in the game and the Argentinian cracked under it, after 4:19 of a show that delighted the Louis-Armstrong.
Elina Svitolina victorious over Simona Halep at the US Open, September 5, 2021 in Flushing Meadows MATTHEW STOCKMAN Getty / AFP
Earlier, Elina Svitolina (5th) was the first to qualify for the quarterfinals for the women, eliminating 6-3, 6-3 Simona Halep (13th).
Winner of the Chicago tournament a week ago, the Ukrainian is in good shape as she has nine consecutive hard wins.
"I'm happy with this victory, it's a great match for me, because I knew that Simona was a great warrior", commented the bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, under the eyes of her husband Gaël Monfils in stands.
Svitolina, semi-finalist of the US Open in 2019, will face in the next round the German Angelique Kerber (17th) or the Canadian Leylah Fernandez (125th), surprise taker of Naomi Osaka in the previous round.
© 2021 AFP