(Miami) Daniil Medvedev continues his journey in Miami where, after his qualification Monday for the 8are final, he is only two victories away from reclaiming the world throne, while Naomi Osaka will return to the quarter-finals of the Florida tournament.
Updated yesterday at 9:22 p.m.
The N.2 at ATP dismissed without forcing the Spaniard Pedro Martinez (47and) 6-3, 6-4.
“The courts are very slow, so games can go on for a long time. I managed to make fewer mistakes in important moments, to serve a little better. The margin was not big, but I managed to win and I’m happy about it,” commented the Russian.
He will face the American Jenson Brooksby (39and) who eliminated another Spaniard, Roberto Bautista (17and), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, to try to reach the quarterfinals, his best result in the Florida tournament already achieved last year.
It was precisely Bautista who had eliminated him in 2021. But this year, the Spaniard who led 4-0 in the decisive set conceded six consecutive games and allowed the American, who had already reached 8are in Indian Wells, to qualify.
arm wrestling
To recover the world throne, which he had occupied two weeks before handing it over to Novak Djokovic on March 21, the winner of the last US Open will have to reach the semi-finals.
Unlike the Russian’s match, the battle raged between the rising value Carlos Alcaraz (16and at 18) and the experienced Marin Cilic (23and at age 33).
The Croatian, ex-N. 3 in the world and winner of the US Open in 2014, tried everything but neither his experience nor his racket shot allowed him to master the ardor and the eye of the formidable Alcaraz, who won 6- 4, 6-4.
If there was indeed an arm wrestling, the youngest knew how to give the necessary push each time. Like the end of the match where he took the break to lead 5-4, offered himself three match points on his serve and concluded from the first with a drop shot followed by a lob that the big Cilic could not fall back in the court.
Semi-finalist in Indian Wells, where he had pushed Rafael Nadal to his limits, Alcaraz will face in Florida the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (5and), winner of the Australian Alex De Minaur (6-4, 6-3), to try to climb into the quarters. For its first participation last year, Alcaraz was eliminated on the 1er tower.
Swiatek too strong
Defending champion Hubert Hurkacz (10and) also qualified for the 8are by defeating the Russian Aslan Karatsev (32and) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. The Pole will face the South African Lloyd Harris (44and) winner of the Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka (96and) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5.
In the female table, Osaka, 77and world, dominated Alison Riske (50and) 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals, like last year.
To try to climb into the last four, the Japanese will face another American, Danielle Collins (11and), finalist of the last Australian Open and who eliminated the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (10and) 6-2, 6-4.
After obviously dealing with moments of frustration against Riske, the Japanese, who had been plagued with psychological issues for months, concluded the game and let a big smile light up her face.
“Last year too I went to the quarters, but I didn’t feel well. This time, I live funny moments in my life, ”commented the ex-N. 1 in the world, four times Grand Slam title.
No cold sweat on the other hand for Iga Swiatek who, with the retirement of Ashleigh Barty, will be the new world N.1 on Monday: the Pole gave a lesson to the American Coco Gauff (17and) 6-3, 6-1.
She thus added a 14and victory in a row after her titles in Doha and Indian Wells and will try to continue her series in the quarterfinals against the Czech Petra Kvitova (32and) who won 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 against Russian Veronika Kudermetova (23and).