Medvedev brushes off physical issues to reach quarter-finals in Tokyo
Daniil Medvedev overcame physical issues in the face of hot and humid conditions on Centre Court on Wednesday to defeat Fabio Fognini 6-2 3-6 6-2 and reach the quarter-finals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event.
The world No. 2 received visits from the physio in each set for problems with his breathing, left arm and thigh during a punishing encounter, but played down any suggestion that the ailments might derail his gold medal hopes.
“Not at all,” he said, when asked if there was a more significant, underlying issue. “The last one was cramping, so 30 minutes after the match it’s okay. The first one I had a blocked diaphragm. It’s the same thing. The next day it’s a new story and it doesn’t affect things.
“Of course I’m going to work with the physio on these issues to feel even better tomorrow. I actually don’t know the schedule – if we play tomorrow or not – but if we play tomorrow I’m going to do my best to be 100%.”
Medvedev does indeed play on Thursday – against Pablo Carreno Busta, who conquered Dominik Koepfer 7-6(7) 6-3 earlier in the day. Another victory would guarantee him the opportunity to compete for a medal – his sole remaining opportunity after he fell alongside Aslan Karatsev in the opening round of the men’s doubles.
The Russian Olympic Committee has a strong contingent here in Tokyo, and retains medal hopes in three of the five tennis draws – including mixed, where Aslan Karatsev and Elena Vesnina pair up, as well as Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
But having seen world No. 1 Novak Djokovic elect to compete in the mixed doubles alongside Nina Stojanovic, does Medvedev consider his own absence from the draw a missed opportunity?
“I definitely considered it,” he admitted. “It’s a great chance to get a medal. It’s 16 teams. You win two matches and you get a chance to fight for the medal. But Vesnina and Karatsev made the final at Roland Garros, so one team was gone.
“To be honest, I think Andrey plays better mixed doubles than me. He lost in the singles – and [the rest of us] were still in the singles at the time. It was a smart decision to put him in, so I’m not disappointed but if I would need to play, I would play.”
As it is, with his quarter-final to recover for, Medvedev has had quite enough tennis in Tokyo for one day – with Fognini hardly a straightforward opponent. Their third round encounter felt like it would be won in the mind and, with Medvedev managing discomfort and Fognini occupied with his own demons, so it proved.
The ever-fiery Fognini was frequently rattled. He earned a time violation just three games in and soon pinged his racket into the azure blue court surround in frustration. He was broken twice to fall 1-4 down, and marked the second break by crunching his racket into the floor - this time beyond repair – and trudged back to his seat, tossing his frame into the floor again for good measure.
At 5-2, Medvedev received treatment on court for breathing issues in the sweltering heat, but Fognini failed to cause him any further discomfort, and the world No. 2 was able to serve out the set.
The second set was a tighter affair. Fognini twigged that it would be wise to give an ailing Medvedev the run-around - even more so when the trainer returned to apply pressure to Medvedev's right side in the seventh game of the opening set as he hunched over his racket between points.
Fognini capitalised with a break in game eight, enough to earn him the set, but his opponent came back stronger following a 10-minute heat break.
A further pause for treatment for cramp in his left arm and thigh weren't enough to derail Medvedev's trudge towards victory - even if it left Fognini lamenting what might have been.
"A lot of chances, a lot of opportunities, yes, but this is sport," said Fognini, simply.
There was further evidence of the unpredictability of sport later on, when Stefanos Tsitsipas was stunned by Frenchman Ugo Humbert 2-6 7-6(4) 6-2, and eighth seed Diego Schwartzman fell at the hands of Karen Khachanov.
Alexander Zverev proved untroubled though, easing through to the last eight with a 6-4 7-6(5) win over Nikoloz Basilashvili; while Kei Nishikori, Jeremy Chardy and Pablo Carreno Busta also joined top seed Novak Djokovic, who eased past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, in the quarter-finals.