The other semi-final will oppose the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (9th player in the world) to the Briton Cameron Norrie (12th), who had reached the last four at Wimbledon.

If he had taken 90 minutes the day before to get rid of Australian Rinky Hijikata, from qualifying (6-4, 6-3), the Russian was a little more expeditious this time, winning in 1h19.

"It was (an opposition) very different. My opponent today played much more aggressively. To be honest, against this type of player sometimes you don't have much to do. You just have to try to serve well, to bring the balls back into the court", he soberly commented.

Which he did very well.

In search of a first title this season, Medvedev lost only three points on his first serve (eight aces) and took the opposing service four times, twice per set, while saving the two break points offered to his opponent in the first round.

His future opponent, the Serbian Kecmanovic (38th), logically beat 6-2, 6-4 the American Brandon Nakashima (61st).

The Russian had won their first encounter in the third round of Roland-Garros in the spring.

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Deprived of Wimbledon after the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army, Medvedev had not played since the quarter-final of the Mallorca grass tournament, lost to Roberto Bautista on June 23.

For the time being, he is starting the American summer calmly with a view to the US Open, of which he is the defending champion.

"I like to play on the hard courts. I've been playing very well here so far," he said.

"Of course, the further we go, the more difficult the matches, the tougher the opponents, the more pressure there is. But that's what we like and I'm looking forward to Friday."

© 2022 AFP