(Indian Wells) World No. 6 Daniil Medvedev, despite a sore ankle and a cut thumb, never flinched to beat 28th-placed Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich 6-3, 7-5 on Wednesday to advance to the semi-finals of the Indian Wells tournament, where the American Frances Tiafoe awaits.
Barely 24 hours ago, doubts hovered over the Russian’s participation in this quarter-final or, at least, his ability to recover sufficiently after his 3:17 hours of effort, certainly paying off, against the German Alexander Zverev, knocked down 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.
But obviously, his twisted right ankle, which had suddenly bent inwards and then immediately outwards, is much better after having swollen well and caused the winner of the United States Open 2021 to suffer.
Facing Davidovich, whom he had already beaten twice in as many confrontations, his runs and support betrayed no restraint or embarrassment.
“Still, she was hurting me in the warm-up. I wasn’t moving well, but the painkillers helped I guess and then it got better as the game went on,” he said afterwards.
He also started strong, breaking it at the start. Advantage that he kept without ever being worried on his service games to win the first set.
In the second set, the debates were rebalanced, the Spaniard making fewer unforced errors and more than resisting in the exchanges, despite a disruptive wind.
Then a breath of concern rustled in the N.1 stadium, when Medvedev found himself on the ground after slipping, trying to run towards a bunt from Davidovich, who erased a break point.
It was not the Russian’s ankle, which suffered instantly, but his right thumb cut at the level of the nail, after his right hand accompanied his fall to the ground.
One more boo without consequence, because, after the band-aid break, Medvedev turned his back by saving three break points at 4-3 against him.
Davidovich’s opportunity had just passed. The Russian, on the other hand, did not fail to seize his service, to finish in 1:46.
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