Sunday, Sep 4, 2022. 3:22 PM
(Update : Sunday, Sep 4, 2022. 10:24 PM)
Nick Kyrgios knocked out US Open 1st seed Daniil Medvedev in four sets 7-6(11), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday night.
Due to this loss in the fourth round, Medvedev will lose his first world rank. Rafael Nadal (3rd), Carlos Alcaraz (4th) or Casper Ruud (5th) will take it by the end of the fortnight, they who are still in contention in the tournament.
It is the first time that a player has managed to defeat the world No. 1 twice in the same year since 1987. Kyrgios had beaten Medvedev just last month in Montreal, at the National Bank Open, thus taking his revenge after a second-round loss at the Australian Open in their first encounter of the year in January.
Khachanov for the first time in quarters in New York
Meanwhile, in the euphoria of a final at Wimbledon, admittedly lost against Novak Djokovic, and of his victory in Washington, which put an end to three years of scarcity, the player, as talented as he is volcanic, somewhat calmed down to better show itself conqueror.
His performance against the Russian was the dazzling confirmation of this spectacular transformation. His tennis was flamboyant, hard-hitting and fine, without false note or fear or brake, like the first tiebreaker won with forceps in a high-flying sequence having erased three set points in the process.
“I’m happy to finally be able to show in New York how well I can play. I work every day, really hard, I want every training to count.
Kyrgios, for the first time in the quarters at this major, will now face Russia’s Karen Khachanov, who knocked out 12th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in a 3:21 game. Khachanov triumphed in five sets of 4- 6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6 and 6-3.
Khachanov, who had five breaks in service, won six of the nine games he played against the Spaniard.
He reached the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows for the first time in his career. All majors combined, it will also be a third quarter-final match.
Berrettini first qualified quarter-finalist
Matteo Berrettini (14th in the world) qualified for the quarter-finals of the United States Open by beating 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, at the end of a long showdown, the Spaniard David Davidovich Fokina, Sunday in New York.
Berrettini, who had already had to work for 3h47 to dismiss Andy Murray in the previous round, this time took barely two minutes less to overcome Davidovich Fokina, who gave him a hard time, before physically breaking down in the last set.
At 3-2 against him, after resuming the break, the Spaniard hurt the front part of his left knee after a slip with his legs apart. The physio tried to numb the pain by rubbing the area with an ice pack, but his momentum was cut off.
Berrettini, winner of two tournaments this season, at Queen’s and Stuttgart, then did not fail to maintain the advantage of a new successful break. And could finally breathe after having been roughed up in this match which remained undecided for a long time until this stroke of fate struck his opponent.
“I’m very proud of myself today. I didn’t start the way I wanted, but I fought to get back into the game. He played incredible tennis… Afterwards, it’s not the way I wanted to end the match, but I take this victory, “commented the 26-year-old Italian, who once again made his power speak ( 17 aces, 49 winners in total).
Italy will face Ruud
Casper Ruud, 7th player in the world, qualified for the quarter-finals by beating 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-2 the Frenchman Corentin Moutet (112th).
The 23-year-old Norwegian, who reaches this stage for the first time at Flushing Meadows, will face Berrettini.
Rather a clay court specialist, as evidenced by his titles won this season in Buenos Aires, Geneva and Gstaad, as well as his journey to the final at Roland-Garros, beaten by the master of the place Rafael Nadal, Ruud confirms his ease on the surface. tough, interview in the spring at the Masters 1000 in Miami where he also failed on the last step.
Solid without being particularly impressive, he especially benefited during the first two rounds from the non-match of Moutet, who then completely passed from his first round of 16 in the Grand Slam, by committing a lot of unforced errors.
Frustration quickly won the French. It first manifested itself in a rather unusual way, when he did a series of push-ups, as if to punish himself (and perhaps re-motivate himself) after a point lost at the start of the second set. Less funny, he angrily sent two balls in quick succession into the stands, just before the loss of the round, logically receiving a penalty point, after having received a warning a little earlier for the same infraction.
Moutet showed a much better face in the third set. Led 4-2, he was able to break his vis-à-vis to then push Ruud to the decisive game. A tiebreaker during which the latter, in the grip of doubt, cracked by notably making a double fault on the set point of the Frenchman.
The Norwegian nevertheless managed to regain control of the match in the 4th set, taking Moutet’s service to lead 3-1, not without immediately having to erase two break points. Advantage that he definitely kept afterwards.