Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev made it to his first Indian Wells quarter-final after defeating Alexander Zverev in a match that lasted for three hours and 17 minutes. Despite injuring his right ankle in the second set, Medvedev was able to secure his 17th consecutive victory by delivering better tennis during pivotal moments. He defended 15 out of 17 break points and stole Zverev’s serve three times.
Medvedev expressed frustration with the surface, calling it a disgrace and saying that it was nowhere near a common hard court. He fired 35 service winners, landed 40 winners, and unforced errors. Zverev gave his best effort but ultimately lost the match, giving serve away twice in the decider. In the end, Medvedev emerged victorious, holding serve in the last game to clinch the victory.
The match was a grueling battle, with Medvedev having to fight off nine break points in the beginning of the second set. Despite injuring his ankle, he was able to stay competitive and win the set in a tiebreak. In the third and final set, Medvedev broke in the third game and produced four comfortable holds for a 5-3 advantage. Zverev held on in game nine to prolong the battle and broke back in the last moment after fending off a match point to lock the result at 5-5. However, Zverev ultimately hit a costly double fault, leading to the crucial break of serve that allowed Medvedev to serve for the victory at 6-5 and hold at love to win the match.
Although Medvedev expressed frustration with the surface, he was able to perform well and win the match. His victory was due to his ability to deliver better tennis in pivotal moments, defend break points, and steal Zverev’s serve. The match was a testament to Medvedev’s skill and perseverance, as he was able to overcome injury and tough competition to secure his spot in the quarter-finals.