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The 3rd seed Daniil Medvedev will compete in his third Australian Open quarter-final following a 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1 win over Nuno Borges in three hours and seven minutes. Daniil notched his ninth quarter-final at Majors, reaching at least one for six straight years.
Borges fought well in sets two and three, trying to become the first Portuguese player in a Major quarter-final. Nuno came from 5-2 down in the third set, rattling off five games and extending the battle. However, he lost the ground in the fourth set, propelling the favorite into the last eight.
Daniil fired 13 aces and 11 double faults, the number he should not repeat if he wants to chase the title. The Russian played better behind the first and second serve, taming his strokes nicely after hitting the same number of winners and unforced errors.
Borges was the more aggressive player, landing 54 winners and 64 unforced errors, too many to stay competitive. Medvedev lost serve four times and clinched six breaks to emerge at the top.
They stayed close to each other in the more advanced rallies, and Daniil forged the advantage in the shortest ones up to four strokes after landing 55 service winners.
The encounter kicked off with five reliable holds, with Medvedev firing a powerful serve for a 3-2 lead. Borges squandered game points in the next one, missing a chance to stay in touch and getting broken after a loose volley at the net.
The Portuguese netted a forehand in the seventh game, falling 5-2 behind and serving to stay in the set. Nuno denied a set point with a forehand down the line winner and held after Daniil's backhand error to prolong the battle.
The Russian served for the set at 5-3 and missed two set points. He earned the third with a volley winner and clinched it with a service winner for 6-3 after 35 minutes. They stayed neck and neck in the second set, battling for over an hour and reaching a tie break.
Borges saved break points in games three and five, denying three at 2-2 and firing a forehand down the line winner to remain on the positive side.
Daniil Medvedev defeated Nuno Borges in four sets at the Australian Open.
Nuno squandered a 40-15 lead in the seventh game and placed a forehand beyond the baseline to drop serve and fall 4-3 behind.
Borges kept fighting and pulled the break back in the following game after Medvedev's double fault. The Portuguese held after deuces in game nine, and there were no more chances for the returners until the tie break. Borges led 2-0 before Medvedev grabbed four straight points for 4-2 with a service winner.
Nuno forced Daniil's mistake for 4-5 before the Russian clinched the breaker 7-4 with a service winner, opening two sets to love advantage after an hour and 42 minutes. The third set passed the one-hour mark too, and it should not have been that way, with the 3rd seed leading 5-2.
Borges made an impressive comeback and grabbed five games in a row to prolong his chances.
Daniil lost serve in the first game before stealing the rival's serve two times in a row, opening a 3-1 gap after Nuno's loose forehand slice.
The Russian had to work hard in the seventh game, defending four break points and moving 5-2 in front. Borges pulled the break back at the last moment at 3-5, reducing the deficit and serving in game ten. The Portuguese fended off two match points and locked the result at 5-5, gathering a boost.
Daniil lost the ground a bit in those moments, getting broken for the second straight time in game 11 and allowing Nuno to wrap up the set with a hold at 15 at 6-5. Like a true champion, Medvedev made a fresh start in the fourth set, losing a couple of points in his games after three holds at love and keeping the pressure on the other side.
Daniil moved in front with a break in game two and cemented his win with another at 4-1. The Russian served for the victory in game seven, providing a fine hold and moving into the quarter-final.