Alcaraz Rolls Past Zverev, Medvedev Keeps Rublev Winless In Slam QFs

Andrey Rublev’s troubles in Grand Slam quarterfinals continued Wednesday at the US Open. Rublev was dispatched by good friend Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to fall to 0-9 in quarterfinals at Slams.

“I know he never gives up, but he knows I never give up,” Medvedev said after the 2 hour, 49 minute win. “In the third set, when he was up a break two or three times, I could not wait to go to the cold shower. Apparently when you go to the cold shower, when you come out, you either can’t move because your body locks, or you feel better but I was like, ‘I don’t care, I will just see what happens’. Luckily I did not need to do it, so I will go now.”

On perhaps the hottest day of the event in the mid-afternoon heat, Rublev led by a break in all three sets but couldn’t manage to close the door. Medvedev, who had to take an inhaler in the second set to help his breathing in the sweltering conditions, kept getting enough balls and serves back to and wait for Rublev to misfire, and he did.

Both players, though, struggled with the heat and were far from their peak best. It was a battle of attrition.

“The only good thing I see in these conditions is that both suffer,” Medvedev said on court. “It’s tough for both of us. There were some ups and downs, but that’s so normal.”

Medvedev improves to 7-1 in Slam quarterfinals as he enters his fourth US Open semifinal. Rublev is still searching.

“I think my ranking is 8 or 7. I did basically the result of my ranking. I was in the best 8 players 3 times this year. I guess I’m proving my ranking for the moment. We’ll see in the last part of the season how it’s going to be,” Rublev said.

In the evening, Carlos Alcaraz kept his title defense in play rolling past a listless Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Zverev put up some resistance in the middle of the first with some break chances, but otherwise didn’t have much left after his late night marathon win over Jannick Sinner to make a match of it.

“The last time I played against Zverev was in Madrid this year. He said he wasn’t ready to play at his best and I was sad about it. We’ve had some big fights and big matches,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “I’m so happy to see him back in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam and playing his best again.”

Alcaraz has won his last 12 matches at the US Open, and this year he’s dropped just one set. He also is 2-0 and 5-0 in sets this year against Medvedev.

“I’m feeling really comfortable playing on this court and in New York,” Alcaraz added. “I’m feeling great physically, mentally, my tennis game is strong. I’m ready to play a great battle against Medvedev in the semifinal.”

The semifinals of the men’s event begin Friday at 3pm.