Assured, thanks to the elimination in the second round of Rafael Nadal the day before, to stay in first place in the standings before the US Open (August 29-September 11) where he will defend his title, Medvedev won 7-5 , 7-5 in 1h47.

The Russian, winner in Ohio in 2019, needed to break twice to pocket the first set, eventually pushing his opponent to fault at 5-5.

Shapovalov had however managed to regain the service to equalize at 4-4, thanks in particular to a superb rally from the baseline, then showing a good resistance.

The second set was even closer, with Medvedev missing four break points at 4-4.

Party postponed, the Russian, as in the previous set, made the difference on the next engagement of his rival, still too much at fault (29 direct), to open the way to a third victory in five confrontations against the Canadian and a quarter-final against Taylor Fritz.

Earlier, the American, 13th in the world, had overthrown Andrey Rublev, finalist of the event last year, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 7-5.

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It was at the end of an excellent third set that Fritz ended up having the last word on the Russian, whom he had notably beaten in March, in the semi-finals of the Indian Wells Masters 1000, before to win the title.

The 24-year-old American, who now leads four victories to two in their confrontations, relied in particular on his formidable backhand, as effective in attacking along the line as in defending, like this superb cross lob which put him in breaker position at 5-5 in the final set.

He confirmed his ease on the American cement, offering himself an unprecedented duel against Medvedev, which will make it possible to gauge one and the other even better ten days before the US Open.

© 2022 AFP