Daniil Medvedev overcomes pain to advance to Shanghai Masters quarters
Daniil Medvedev battles cramps and fatigue to defeat Alex de Minaur, sealing his 50th Top 10 win and reaching the Shanghai Masters semi-finals.
New Delhi: Daniil Medvedev isn't one to give in easily - not to cramps, not to exhaustion and certainly not to his opponent. The former World No. 1 pushed through visible discomfort to defeat Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 to book his place in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals and secure his 50th career win over a Top 10 player.
The Russian was made to work for every point in a gruelling one-hour, 53-minute encounter that saw over 30 rallies stretch beyond nine shots. Despite looking drained at times, Medvedev was sharp when it mattered the most, hitting 27 winners to De Minaur's 16 and saving his best for the second set, where he won 15 of 16 first-serve points.
"I was super tired,” Medvedev admitted after the win. "I knew against Alex we’d have long points, but I’m happy with how I played. I was really clutch in the important moments and found my best at the end.”
This victory was as much about endurance as skill. Medvedev, throughout, struggled to fight his own body and just before the Shanghai Masters, he was forced to withdraw from his Beijing semi-final against Learner Tien after suffering a severe cramping episode that spread from his hand to his legs and even his abs.
"It was more mental than physical,” Medvedev later said about that episode. "It’s quite painful, and I’ve only experienced it a few times in my career.”
The same issue resurfaced in Shanghai as the Russian seemed to be dealing with cramps in both quads in the second set while serving for the match at 5-4. But this time, the 2021 US Open winner refused to let go, though his movement was visibly restricted, Medvedev leaned on his precision and tactical depth to close out the contest.
What next?
The win marks Medvedev’s second Masters 1000 semi-final appearance of the season after Indian Wells earlier this year. He will next face Arthur Rinderknech as he chases his first tour-level title since Rome in 2023.
The 29-year-old has fond memories of Shanghai, having lifted the trophy in 2019. With 18 of his 20 ATP titles coming on hard courts, it’s clear this surface continues to bring out his best tennis even when his body isn’t at 100 per cent.