Russian Daniil Medvedev will face Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Australian Open quarter-finals after both banked four-set victories, while Jannik Sinner, who knocked out Alex de Minaur on Monday night, will next face Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Daniil Medvedev has questioned why he wasn’t given centre court status for his Australian Open fourth round match despite boasting the tournament’s top ranking and ownership of the most recent grand slam title.
The de facto top seed after the deportation of world No.1 and nine-time champion Novak Djokovic, Medevedv was shunted to Margaret Court Arena while hometown hope Alex de Minaur was given the main stage, Rod Laver Arena.
Medvedev downed a persistent Maxime Cressy 6-2 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 but felt the task would have been easier against the serve-volley specialist with more room to move.
The US Open champion felt he deserved better treatment.
“I really don’t know what I should do to play on centre courts in grand slams,” the 25-year-old said.
“I won the last grand slam and I’m the highest seed here so to play against Maxime would be easier on Rod Laver with more space.
“When you play on a smaller court it’s tougher to play someone who does serve and volley than on a bigger court.
“Maybe I have to ask every time but I don’t want to be the guy who asks every time ‘put me on Rod Laver or I’m going to be unhappy’.”
In a tense affair the American was able to see off nine of Medvedev’s 12 break points including eight in the fourth set which left the Russian world No.2 fuming.
“It’s simply unbelievable how lucky he is getting,” he shouted mid-match.
In the end, Medvedev had enough class to advance to a final eight meeting with young Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who conquered Croatian Marin Cilic 2-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 7-6 (7-4).
In other round four action, 20-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner sent de Minaur crashing out 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 6-4 to underline his status as a future heavyweight.
Eyeing his first major grand slam semi-final appearance world No.10 Sinner will next face Stefanos Tsitsipas after the fourth seed saw off American Taylor Fritz 4-6 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-4 in a gruelling five-setter.
Ranked 68 spots lower, Cressy frustrated Medvedev with his serve and volley game which was shades of Australian great Pat Rafter.
Medvedev had a mini break in the third set tiebreak but Cressy started to chip and charge which threw his more fancied rival right off kilter.
Medvedev had six break points early in the fourth set – even gifted a direct second serve due to a time violation – but he was unable to bank one to clear ahead until late in the piece.
“It was long, it was not easy,” Medvedev said.
“Only the first set I managed to sprint in front of him and all the other sets were a tough fight.
“If I didn’t win the fourth one I would have been in a tough mental place because I had so many break points – I just wanted to make one.”
Auger-Aliassime will make his first Australian Open quarter-final, and third overall in a major, after seeing off Cilic.
The world No. 9 Auger-Aliassime got the better of the 27th seed in searing conditions on John Cain Arena on Monday with the match lasting three hours and 39 minutes.
Auger-Aliassime got off to a slow start but the 21-year-old found his groove to surpass his previous best at Melbourne Park which was a fourth round showing last year.
Despite hitting only 38 winners to Cilic’s 61, Auger-Aliassime kept chipping away at his opponent to seal the win.
“It’s wonderful to be through,” Auger-Aliassime said.
“It was not an easy match, not an easy opponent and in the end to be able to come out with a victory is the most important and is the most gratifying.”
© AAP
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