In a grueling match marked by searing heat and intense humidity, third seed Daniil Medvedev secured his spot in the U.S. Open semifinals on Wednesday with a hard-fought victory over fellow Russian Andrey Rublev. Medvedev’s 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win over his close friend and eighth seed Rublev was not only a testament to his tennis prowess but also his ability to endure harsh weather conditions inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The mid-90s Fahrenheit temperatures (32 Celsius) made for a challenging environment, with the stifling humidity adding to the discomfort. However, it was Medvedev who managed to adapt better to the conditions, booking his place in the Flushing Meadows semifinals for the fourth time in five years.
Despite the victory, Medvedev couldn’t hide his frustration with the difficult playing conditions. In the midst of the third set, the 2021 U.S. Open champion complained on camera while wiping away sweat, saying, “You cannot imagine, one player is going to die and then they’re going to see.”
For Rublev, this loss marked the ninth time he has fallen short in a Grand Slam quarter-final, a recurring theme in his career. Making it even more painful was the fact that his good friend Medvedev was the one to eliminate him for the third time, having also done so at the same stage of the 2020 U.S. Open and the 2021 Australian Open.
While the all-Russian matchup lacked the drama of the earlier all-American showdown between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton, it was still a riveting contest, as two highly-seeded players battled not only each other but also the challenging weather conditions.
“The only good thing I see in these conditions is that both suffer,” commented Medvedev. “Usually there is not one that suffers so it’s tough for both of us. Honestly, at the end of the first set, I kind of couldn’t see the ball anymore. I kind of played with sensations. Just tried to go for it, tried to run, tried to catch the balls, and he did the same.”
Rublev made a strong start to the match, taking an early 3-0 lead with a break, but Medvedev quickly turned the tide, winning six of the next seven games to take the first set. Notably, Medvedev’s record at Flushing Meadows after winning the first set now stands at an impressive 25-0.
Both players struggled to find their rhythm in the brutal conditions, resulting in frequent breaks of serve in the next two sets. In the end, it was Medvedev who secured the crucial breaks and closed out the match in straight sets. However, Rublev put up a valiant fight, saving four match points in a heroic display before succumbing on the fifth.
“Sometimes before the points I was like ‘wow, it seems like he cannot run anymore’ … but he was there all the time, and I was like ‘damn, when is he going to be tired?’,” shared Medvedev. “But actually, we were tired all the time. So yeah, brutal conditions and super tough to win.”
