Daniil Medvedev earns US Open semi-final spot with stunning win against Andrey Rublev

Daniil Medvedev is one match away from a second successive US Open Final
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Matt Davies9 September 2020

Daniil Medvedev produced a serving masterclass to progress through to the US Open semi-finals with a highly impressive straight-sets win over Andrey Rublev.

The no3 seed lost in a five-set epic to Rafael Nadal in last year's US Open Final, but looks certain to mount another serious challenge this time around following a clinical 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 victory over his Russian compatriot.

Medvedev - who reaches the semi-finals without dropping a set - will face either Alex de Minaur or Dominic Thiem, who play later tonight, for a place in his second successive New York showpiece.

And with a Grand Slam semi-final lineup missing all of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer for the first time since 2004, he has his best chance yet to claim a first-ever major title.

The Russian pair were utterly inseparable in the first set, which inevitably went to a tie-break with neither player fashioning a break point.

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Medvedev had never lost a tie-break at the US Open and extended his record to 6-0 with an steely comeback after he fell 5-1 behind at the change of ends.

The late turnaround had opposing effects on the pair, with a seething Rublev somewhat losing his way, while a buoyed Medvedev sealed the first break of the match to move 4-2 up in the second set.

There was no way back in the second set for Rublev, who once again failed to muster a break point with the world no5 upping his game to take it 6-3.

The third and final set returned to the pattern of the first, with neither player able to create a single break point opportunity as another tie-break was required to separate the two.

And though Medvedev twice called for the physio in the final set, once for shoulder pain and the other for cramps, he prevailed 7-5 in another tight affair.

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