MASON, Ohio – No Novak, no Roger, no Rafa doesn´t mean winning his second Western & Southern Open championship will be no problem for top-seeded Daniil Medvedev.
Medvedev, the 2019 champion and last year´s runner-up to Novak Djokovic, advanced to the quarterfinals of the US Open tune-up event with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov in Cincinnati.
“It was definitely a great level of tennis,” Medvedev said. “It was pretty hot for both of us. I saw Grigor struggling, so I figured that´s how it is. It´s the same for everybody. Our bodies are getting more used to the heat.”
Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty rolled through the first 10 games of her match with defending champion Victoria Azarenka in a 6-0, 6-2 win to reach the women´s quarterfinals.
“I think sometimes the scoreline in tennis the scoreline can fool you,” Barty said according to AP. “Though it seemed like a quite convincing scoreline in the match, each and every game had crucial poits and I was able to win most of those.”
Olympic champion and third-seeded Alexander Zverev also advanced, beating Guido Pella 6-2, 6-3.
Medvedev bounced back up after a nasty fall early in the second set and went on to close out the win.
“You can´t see this on video, but my racket got between my legs and hit the back of my calf,” Medvedev said.
“I don´t know how that happens. I actually have a bruise on my calf. A bruise is a bruise. It´s nothing serious.”
The second-ranked Russian, the winner last week in Toronto, won when Dimitrov double-faulted on match point. Medvedev has been on the court for only 2 hours, 28 minutes while winning his first two matches in straight sets after a first-round bye.
Medvedev is the first player not named Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray to crack the top two since July 18, 2005.
Injuries and other issues kept Djokovic, Federer and Nadal from competing this year.
While his matches have been short, Medvedev feels winning will go a long way. “The more matches I can win in these two tournaments that are similar to New York, the more confidence you have,” he said.
“Confidence is the big key. It´s good coming there knowing that you´re capable of playing good. Now, I know it´s possible. A Grand Slam is a Grand Slam. They´re tough. Opponents want to beat you. You hope you show your best tennis.”
A battle of Top 10 players at the Western & Southern Open was won by No.9 seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, as she defeated No.8 seed Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain, 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals.
The clash was a rematch of this season’s Dubai final, where 2017 Cincinnati champion Muguruza defeated Krejcikova, and then ranked outside of the Top 50, in straight sets.
However, Krejcikova’s surge to the top of the game has only accelerated since that week, and the newest member of the Top 10 avenged that loss against the former World No.1 on the hardcourts of Cincinnati after 2 hours and 24 minutes of play.
Reigning Roland Garros champion Krejcikova slammed 14 aces and won 86 percent of her first-service points to quell the challenge from two-time Grand Slam champion Muguruza. Krejcikova saved all five break points she faced in the tilt.
Muguruza did well to grit out a close tiebreak at the end of a second set which featured zero breaks of service. But Krejcikova was untroubled in the bookending sets, which she swept through without much fuss.
Next up for Krejcikova will be a quarter-final meeting with World No.1 Ashleigh Barty, after the top seed cruised past defending champion Victoria Azarenka. In their only prior meeting,
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