Medvedev rallies from down 0-2 to reach Wimbledon fourth round
Tennis – Wimbledon – All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain – July 3, 2021 Russia’s Daniil Medvedev reacts during his third round match against Croatia’s Marin Cilic REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
Second-seeded Daniil Medvedev recovered from a major hole to produce a stunning 6-7 (3), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Marin Cilic on Saturday to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon at London.
Medvedev looked in danger of being swept before his rally to win the three-hour, 42-minute match. The Russian finished with 16 aces and 38 winners against 31 unforced errors in the comeback win at the All England Club.
“It was an unbelievable match,” Medvedev said in an on-court interview. “I think tennis fans always enjoy watching players come back from two-sets-to-love down and for it to be five sets. I certainly do so when I watch tennis on the TV. It’s my first comeback (from two sets down) …
“Marin is an amazing player and for the first two sets he basically destroyed me.”
The 6-foot-6 Cilic of Croatia recorded 30 of his 48 kills in the first two sets. He notched 11 aces for the match but was plagued by 10 double faults and 68 unforced errors.
Medvedev will next face 14th-seeded Hubert Hurkacz after the Pole posted a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan.
Sixth-seeded Roger Federer moved into the fourth round for the 18th time by knocking off 29th-seeded Brit Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.
Federer had 48 winners against 33 unforced errors in the victory. Norrie had 34 winners and 32 unforced errors.
“I’m super relieved as it was a tough battle,” Federer said afterward. “I was so close to serving it out in the third set and I thought he played excellent. I think I kept a high level of play, but he did well to break me at the end of the third set. Overall, I can be very happy with the way I played.”
Federer will next face 23rd-seeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego, who swept Australian James Duckworth 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany also advanced as he defeated 31st-seeded American Taylor Fritz 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (4). Zverev swatted 19 aces and Fritz had 13.
“Today was probably not the best match I have played so far in this tournament just feeling-wise, how comfortable I was,” Zverev said. “But I found a way to win. That’s the most important thing.”
Zverev will next oppose 16th-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who split two sets with Nick Kyrgios before the Australian retired with an abdominal injury. Kyrgios won the first set 6-2 before Auger-Aliassime recovered with a 6-1 win.
Seventh-seeded Italian Matteo Berrettini swept Slovenian Aljaz Bedene 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Berrettini will next oppose Ilya Ivashka of Belarus, who posted a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Jordan Thompson of Australia.
