Daniil Medvedev sees off Christopher Eubanks to set up Miami Open semi-final against Karen Khachanov
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Updated 31/03/2023 at 09:44 GMT
Christopher Eubanks' barnstorming Miami Open run was brought to an end by fourth seed Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals. The Russian won 6-3 7-5 in an entertaining and rain-disrupted clash to reach a fifth consecutive semi-final as his hot streak of form continued. Medvedev will face Karen Khachanov next for a place in the final, after the 14th seed defeated Francisco Cerundolo.
Highlights: Medvedev beats Eubanks to reach Miami Open semi-finals
Daniil Medvedev heralded his best-ever start to a season after ending Christopher Eubanks' barnstorming Miami Open run with a 6-3 7-5 victory that sent the Russian into his fifth consecutive ATP Tour semi-final, where he will face Karen Khachanov.
The fourth seed has won 22 of his last 23 matches on tour, a streak in which he won titles in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai before losing the Indian Wells final to Carlos Alcaraz.
"I have never had such a good start to the season. A lot of matches won, tournaments won. I am really happy," said Medvedev. "I was disappointed at Indian Wells when my streak ended on the same number as last time.
"The only thing you can do is begin a new streak and I am happy to bring my form into Miami."
American Eubanks was a largely unknown threat, having taken the tournament by storm this week to reach his maiden ATP 1000 quarter-final.
The 26-year-old came through qualifying before dropping just one set in four main-draw matches against Denis Kudla, Borna Coric, Gregoire Barrere and Adrian Mannarino.
However, world No. 5 Medvedev proved too strong and clinical for his 119-ranked opponent in a rain-disrupted match at the Hard Rock Stadium, as the Russian hit nine aces and 27 winners in a victory that took one hour, 29 minutes.
Medvedev will face Karen Khachanov in the last four, while Jannik Sinner is up against Alcaraz or Taylor Fritz in the other semi-final.
Eubanks got off to a strong start, kicking off with a love hold and pushing Medvedev hard in his second service game.
The Russian faced five break points but saved them all as his huge serve came to the rescue time and again; he landed four aces on his way to a gutsy hold that took more than eight minutes to secure.
Medvedev wasn’t getting a sniff on the Eubanks serve but just as the American was building momentum at 3-2 up, a rain shower saw the match called to a halt for around 25 minutes until conditions dried up.
The pause did the fourth seed a world of good as he went on a five-game winning run once the action resumed, breaking Eubanks twice to take the first set 6-3 before the American finally got out of his rut by crucially holding his opening service game in the second.
"I didn't play my best before [the rain delay]. The rain helped me go out and have more energy," Medvedev added. "It helped me and I only played better and better, apart from one bad game on my serve, but it happens."
It then became a question of who would blink first as both players struggled to carve out break opportunities in the opening five games.
Medvedev was clinical again when his moment came, pouncing on his third break point of the match with a backhand cross-court winner.
Just as the contest looked set to cruise to a comfortable conclusion for Medvedev, Eubanks came firing back, setting up a break-back point immediately and taking it as the Russian sent a forehand flying wide of the tram lines.
However, Eubanks faced a pressure service game at 5-6 and Medvedev set up two match points. The first was saved smoothly with a serve-and-volley, and the American superbly cushioned a volley at the net to edge a tense rally to save the second.
An explosive forehand winner down the line from Medvedev set up match point number three, and this time Eubanks couldn’t dig himself out of trouble as his smash flew wide.
Khachanov set up a semi-final with his compatriot by beating Francisco Cerundolo in straight sets in 75 minutes to reach the last four of an ATP 1000 event for the first time since 2019.
The 14th seed, who upset second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last round, is aiming for his fifth tour-level title in Miami.
After trailing by a break in the first set, Khachanov quickly recovered and took control of the match with a commanding performance in which he hit 18 winners.
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