Daniil Medvedev survives a Taylor Fritz blitz to reach his maiden Masters 1000 semi-final of 2022 in Cincinnati
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Updated 19/08/2022 at 22:41 GMT
Daniil Medvedev dug deep to see off the challenge of Taylor Fritz by a 7-6 6-3 scoreline in a topsy-turvy encounter at the Cincinnati Masters. The World No.1 improved his record to 9-3 in ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finals and extended his winning streak against Americans to 13 matches. The Russian will meet Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last four.
Top seed Medvedev into Western & Southern semis after win over Fritz
Daniil Medvedev secured a spot in his first Masters 1000 semi-final of 2022 after surviving a first-set onslaught to edge past in-form Taylor Fritz in Cincinnati.
The Russian world No.1 was forced to dig deep for much of the opener before coming through 7-6(1) 6-3 to set up a last-four meeting with Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Speaking on-court following a win that keeps him on course in his bid for a fifth Masters title, Medvedev said: "Cincinnati has fast courts and fast balls and I have always liked it. But always tricky matches, especially between two great servers.
"I feel like me and Taylor served good, even if we aren’t John [Isner] maybe! I knew that it was going to be a tight match.
“The first set he was on top of me a little bit. He had many more chances than I did on my serve, but I managed to stay in. There were some set points where I could have missed and no one would have talked about it, it would have been normal. But I managed to stay in the set and that helped me win the match.”
Fritz came into the contest in fine form having reached a career-high No.12 in the world back in July following a maiden Grand Slam quarter-final appearance at Wimbledon.
The American was the dominant force for much of the opener, earning a break point in just the second game of the contest and continually exposing Medvedev’s misfiring forehand.
The world No.13 earned two more break points at 3-2 up but contrived to push a forehand long on the second with the game seemingly on his racquet.
Medvedev continued to produce Houdini acts as the set wore on, saving a set point in game 10 before somehow surviving two more at 6-5 down to drag himself into a tie break.
Fritz will have wondered how he missed a backhand close to the net on one of those opportunities and his mood only darkened from there as Medvedev suddenly roared through the gears to take advantage of an ill-timed lull from the USA No.1 and romp through the tie-break by a 7-1 scoreline.
Fritz, who lifted his maiden Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells earlier in the year, was suddenly a forlorn figure as Medvedev began to find some of his best tennis.
The Russian broke decisively in the second game of the second set on his third opportunity before consolidating to rampage into a 3-0 lead.
Fritz eventually responded but could not make enough impact on the reinvigorated top seed’s serve as the reigning US Open champion lashed down the aces to clinch victory in one hour and 38 minutes.
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