Google News ATP Australian Open: Daniil Medvedev tops Mackenzie McDonald to extend winning streak
by JOVICA ILIC
The 4th seed Daniil Medvedev is through to his first Australian Open quarter-final and the first at Majors outside the US Open. The Russian ousted the lower-ranked American Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 29 minutes to notch his 18th consecutive victory since the last year's Paris Masters.
Mackenzie enjoyed a great run in Melbourne, but it had to end on Monday as he had nothing in his arsenal to challenge the rival from the top. Daniil lost serve once from the only chance offered to the rival and grabbed six return games from seven opportunities, enough to seal the deal in no time and save energy for the quarter-final clash against the fellow Russian Andrey Rublev.
Medvedev had 29 winners and 15 unforced errors, forging his victory in the shortest rallies up to four strokes.
Daniil Medvedev will compete in his first Australian Open quarter-final.
The American held at love in the first game before Daniil closed the second with a lucky net cord winner for 1-1.
Medvedev painted a forehand down the line winner in the third game to earn his first break and fired an ace in game four to open a 3-1 advantage. The Russian fired another forehand winner in game five to grab another break, extending the lead with a hold at 15 in game six after 19 minutes!
McDonald saved a set point in game eight and pulled one break back to prolong the set, holding in the next to reduce the deficit to 4-5. With no room for errors, Daniil grabbed the tenth game at 15 to secure the opener, hoping for more of the same in set number two.
The Russian barely lost a point on serve in set number two, and the American couldn't follow that pace. Medvedev broke at 15 in game three after a lucky net cord winner and moved 3-1 ahead after an unreturned serve. Daniil earned another break in game five and held at love at 5-2 to wrap up the set and move closer to the finish line in under an hour.
Both players served well in the third set's opening six games before Daniil shifted into a higher gear and earned a break with a backhand crosscourt winner that sent him 4-3 up. The Russian confirmed the break with a service winner and moved over the top with another break in game nine.