By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday September 2, 2024
New York—Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev is doing what he normally does at the US Open. Breezing into the business end of the tournament while announcing himself as a potential title winner in Flushing Meadows.
After his 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Portugal’s Nuno Borges, the No.5 seed was asked to look ahead to his impending quarterfinal with top-seeded Jannik Sinner.
Not so fast, says Medvedev, whe believes that the Italian will have his hands full with American Tommy Paul on Monday night.
“In my opinion, Tommy could easily win,” Medvedev said. “When I say “easily win,” I don’t think he’s that much of an underdog [as] we think, and it’s going to be interesting also. Tommy, in my opinion, is having a tremendous year. I don’t know what he is in the race but probably somewhere close to the No. 8 spot.”
Asked if he would think about this year’s Australian Open final (won by the Italian in five sets) if he faces Sinner in the quarterfinals, the 28-year-old said that he’d prefer to think about their Wimbledon matchup.
“I will try to think more about Wimbledon than Australian Open,” he said with a smile. “But against Jannik, we had some tough matches except for a couple. I mean, in Miami, for example.
“I feel like in a way we know our game, what we will try to bring on the table, and then it comes to always, you know, deuce, breakpoint, maybe try to surprise him or not, what he will do, what I will do.”
Medvedev and Sinner have a long and interesting history.
Medvedev holds a 7-5 lifetime record against Sinner, and broke a five-match losing streak to the No.1-ranked Italian at Wimbledon, when he defeated him in five sets in the quarterfinals. It was the Russian who won the pair’s first six head-to-head meetings.
“If it’s him who wins against Tommy, hopefully we can have a great match. I know if I want to beat him, I need to be at my best, which I managed to do it a couple of times. It’s going to be a great match.”
