Danil Medvedev recovered from cramps late in the second set to overcome Next Gen ATP rising star Learner Tien 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 at the Shanghai Rolex Masters
Medvedev earned his first win over the US player in their three head-to-head matches to reach his third Masters 1000 quarter final of the season.
Medvedev lost his first two matches against Tien this season. Tien beat Medvedev in a five-set match in the second round at the Australian Open. Medvedev was forced to withdraw from the decisive set in the Beijing semifinal due to a cramp.
Medvedev earned the first break in the ninth game of the first set to take a 5-4 lead, but Tien broke straight back to draw level to 5-5. Both players faced a break point in the last two games but they held serve. Medvedev smashed a lob from Tien to send the first set to a tie-break. Both players started with six mini-breaks to draw level to 3-3. Medvedev won three of the next four points from 5-5 to seal the tie-break 8-6.
Medvedev earned an early break in the second game to open up a 3-0 lead. Tien broke back in the fifth game. The 19-year-old US player broke again in the seventh game and held serve to take a 5-3 lead. Medvedev began limping just before the second set tie-break. Tien earned three mini-breaks to clinch the tie-break 7-1.
Medvedev earned the decisive break in the ninth game with a backhand and served out the win on his first match point.
Danil Medvedev: “I think the toughest part was that we played two times before, and in my opinion he is an unbelievable player, because he doesn’t have a great serve and serve is so important in tennis. Without the serve, he is 19 years old and 30-something in the world and only going up. In my opinion he is such a good tennis player.
