Italian Open 2023: Daniil Medvedev holds off Alexander Zverev to reach quarter-finals in Rome

Daniil Medvedev ultimately had too much for Alexander Zverev as he secured a straight-sets, 6-2 7-6(3), victory to reach the quarter-finals at the Italian Open in Rome.

Medvedev got off to the ideal start against the German, who is still battling his way back following his significant ankle-ligament injury, breaking the German’s serve in the very first game of the match after he double-faulted twice.

The 27-year-old was matching Zverev’s first serve and he got the double-break he was after to move into a 5-2 lead after the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion struck a loose forehand into the net.

Medvedev was pushed hard to serve out the set, but he rescued two break points before converting his second set point to edge in front after another Zverev unforced error.

The quality of Zverev’s shot selections improved at the start of the second set. The No. 19 seed fought off a break point in his opening service game and pulled Medvedev around the court with greater regularity.

The world No. 3 did eventually find a breakthrough on the Zverev serve, but he then encountered some sudden resistance at the business end of the as the German broke back to haul himself on terms and force a tie-break.

Medvedev rose to the occasion of the tie-break to close out the victory in one hour and 56 minutes – his third of the current campaign against Zverev.

His quarter-final opponent will be a qualifier in Yannick Hanfmann, who produced a stunning upset on Tuesday to defeat Monte-Carlo Masters champion Andrey Rublev in straight sets, 6-2 7-6(3).

“He started to play a little bit better for sure,” Medvedev admitted when he reflected on the second set resistance he faced.

“We had some long games, and I should have played better on this game at 4-3… I should have done better from 40/0.

“I made a few easy errors, but that’s tennis and I knew that I had to continue. It was not an easy moment, [later I had a] set point to save.

“I’m happy with my level throughout the whole match, except this game and I’m really looking forward to the next match.”

On his next opponent, he added: “I saw a little bit of [Hanfmann’s] match today and I saw his third set against [Marco] Cecchinato. He’s playing well right now.

“I feel like he was already playing well, in Houston and Madrid [for example], just not going into the final or something like this.

“[Here is his] breakthrough, let’s say, already in the quarter-finals from qualies, playing a great level. So I have to be at my best to try to beat him.”

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