In a thrilling match at the Australian Open, Daniil Medvedev secured his place in the quarter-finals after a hard-fought battle against Portugal’s Nuno Borges. The Russian third seed, who has been a runner-up twice before, overcame Borges 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-1 in a match that lasted over three hours on Rod Laver Arena.
Medvedev expressed his satisfaction with the win, stating that he was feeling 100 percent before the match. However, he acknowledged that Borges made him work hard in the third set, causing him to make more mistakes. Nonetheless, Medvedev managed to raise his energy levels in the fourth set and dominated the match.
Borges, who had never won back-to-back Tour-level matches before this year’s Australian Open, put up a strong fight against Medvedev. However, his lack of experience at this level was evident, with a significantly higher number of unforced errors compared to Medvedev.
Medvedev’s powerful baseline play was a standout factor in the first set, as he dominated long rallies and secured the only break of the set in the sixth game. Borges managed to hold his own until 3-3 in the second set, but eventually succumbed to Medvedev’s relentless groundstrokes, resulting in a break for the Russian.
However, Medvedev lost focus and committed his fourth double fault of the match, allowing Borges to level the set. The set went to a tie-break, where Medvedev survived another double fault and came out on top.
At 5-4 in the third set, Medvedev was on the verge of victory, but Borges fought back, breaking Medvedev and winning the next two games to keep the match alive. This setback served as a wake-up call for Medvedev, who came back strongly in the fourth set and raced through it in just 24 minutes, as Borges struggled to keep up.
Medvedev’s next challenge in the quarter-finals will be Polish ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz. As Medvedev aims to go one step further and claim his first Australian Open title, he will need to maintain his high level of play and overcome the determined Hurkacz.
Overall, Medvedev’s victory over Borges was a testament to his skill and determination on the court. As one of the top contenders in the tournament, Medvedev will be a player to watch as the Australian Open progresses.
