Daniil Medvedev came through a highly entertaining encounter with Tomas Machac in four sets, beating his Czech opponent 7-6 7-5 1-6 6-4 to make the fourth round of the French Open. Medvedev started the match in leggings on a very unseasonably chilly day at Roland-Garros and was made to work hard for his victory by a very spirited Machac, who produced something truly spectacular in one point.
Daniil Medvedev’s third round match started in subdued fashion against Tomas Machac. A cold, rainy day meant the duo were playing under the roof on Suzanna-Lenglen and although the fifth seed came through in four tight sets, the scoreline did little to explain the unlikely drama that littered the third round match.
It was in the fifth game of the opening set that Machac showed the crowd he was here to do more than make up the numbers, as he earned himself an unlikely break point as Medvedev’s serve started to falter.
That break point was something to behold, Machac playing the ball with his opposite hand in an inspired moment – but it was downhill from there for the Czech player as Medvedev started to grind point after point out from the back of the court.
Medvedev took the tight opening set in a tiebreak, before leaving the court for a lengthy costume change that surprisingly didn’t seem to disrupt either player’s rhythm.
The flamboyant Czech was doing everything he could to get the crowd involved with some more exuberant shots in the second set, only to be met by a defensive wall at the other end of the court. Medvedev, having binned those leggings he needed to keep warm in the opening set, wasn’t letting anything get past him.
The fifth seed did briefly get the crowd involved himself, cupping his ear in challenge to them after an overhead smash ended a very entertaining point early in the second set. That was followed up with some serve and volleying form his opponent, Machac deciding to try something different out there with route one clearly not working.
It led to an entertaining half hour of shot making, but ultimately proved fruitless with Medvedev’s steady eddy play proving the better option, the number five seed breaking at 5-5 and serving it out to take a two set lead, 7-6 7-5.
The pair exchanged breaks at the start of the third, the shot making from both men now impressing a crowd that like the players, had taken a while to warm to the match but were starting to enjoy the quality of tennis on show.
But some inspired play from Machac meant that one break was the only game Medvedev won in the set, the Czech player taking it 6-1 to force a fourth set after upping his game in stunning fashion and reeling off a series of winners.
A rattled Medvedev was leaking errors, Machac breaking in the opening game of the fourth. But somehow the Russian managed to break back against the odds, before a brief hiatus was needed for the umpire to rescue an injured pigeon that had made its way onto the court.
Machac was forced to serve to stay in the match at 4-5, and an overhead smash that went into the net gifted Medvedev a match point. And as the next backhand went wide, Medvedev somehow made it through the topsy turvy encounter to scrape into the R16 with a 7-6 7-5 1-6 6-4 victory.
Matt Chilton on commentary called it “an absolute thriller” and it was hard to disagree. Medvedev marches on, having had to work hard to make it to the round of 16, where he will play 11th seed Alex de Minaur.
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