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The last year's Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev is through to the fourth round in Melbourne following a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Botic Van De Zandschulp in an hour and 55 minutes. Van De Zandschulp gave his everything to challenge a great rival in the opening two sets.
He threw serve & volley, drop shots, slices and powerful groundstrokes at his opponent, only to get broken twice and fall behind before losing ground in set number three. Medvedev hit 26 winners and 19 unforced errors, taking his strokes nicely and playing against only three break chances.
World no. 2 defended them in sets one and two and converted 40% of the return points into four breaks from 11 opportunities that carried him over the top. Botic grabbed the opening game with a service winner, and Daniil held at love to level the score at 1-1.
The Russian claimed three consecutive points on the return in game three and closed it with a running forehand winner to secure a break and move in front.
Daniil Medvedev remains on the Australian Open title course.
Medvedev confirmed the advantage with a service winner and clinched the sixth game with a forehand drive-volley winner for a 4-2 lead.
The Dutch stayed in touch with a forehand winner in game seven before the Russian moved 5-3 ahead with an ace down the T line in the next one. Medvedev hit a double fault to face two break points while serving for the set at 5-4, fending them off with service winners and firing four in a row to close the opener in 39 minutes.
Daniil broke at love at 1-1 in the second set and held at love for a 3-1 advantage in no time. Botic saved two break chances in game five with winners and brought it home to remain within one break deficit. Medvedev defended a break point in the sixth game and held after deuce at 4-3 to stay in front.
Serving for the set at 5-4, the Russian fired a service winner to bring it home and open two sets to love advantage after an hour and 17 minutes. At the beginning of the third set, Van De Zandschulp saved two break points and held at 15 for a 2-1 advantage.
Medvedev seized the third break chance at 2-2 to build the lead and landed a return winner at 4-2 to move closer to the finish line. Serving for the victory in game eight, Daniil held at 30 to bring the encounter home and move into the last 16.