US Open: Daniil Medvedev eases into fourth round with straightforward win over JJ Wolf

Last year’s finalist stormed on at Flushing Meadows

Daniil Medvedev finished as runner-up at the 2019 US Open (Getty Images)

Third seed Daniil Medvedev continued his cruise through the US Open draw in New York on Saturday.

The Russian’s run to the final last year was full of drama, but so far he has not lost more than four games in any set across three matches and was in complete control in a 6-3 6-3 6-2 win over American JJ Wolf in the third round.

Speaking on court, Medvedev said: “It’s good that I managed to win in three sets. Six months of not playing tennis, it’s not easy to recover from four and five-set matches. With a day off and just a three-setter, I feel good.”

Medvedev is among the 10 players who are subject to extra measures after being identified as having been close to Benoit Paire prior to his positive test for Covid-19.

The seven who had prolonged contact have now been ordered to quarantine in their rooms following intervention from public health officials, but Medvedev, one of the other three, revealed his restrictions have not changed.

He said: “I actually had no contact with Benoit. I don’t know how they check it. I think it’s by credential, and maybe I was in the same room with him.

“So, after talking to USTA (United States Tennis Association) and a doctor from the New York department, I think, they said, ‘Okay, just do a test every day and you live normal.’ If we can call this normal.

“I have done maybe five tests, five negative tests, and I will continue to do them every day. It doesn’t bother me at all.”

Medvedev will next face another American in Frances Tiafoe, who defeated Marton Fucsovics in straight sets.

Tenth seed Andrey Rublev has been nearly as impressive as his fellow Russian Medvedev and he needed just one hour and 24 minutes to defeat Italian Salvatore Caruso 6-0 6-4 6-0.

Canadian Vasek Pospisil began the tournament by helping Novak Djokovic set up the Professional Tennis Players Association, but off-court distractions appear to have galvanised him, and the 30-year-old reached the fourth round here for the first time with a 7-5 2-6 4-6 6-3 6-2 upset of eighth seed Roberto Bautista Agut.

Sixth seed Matteo Berrettini, a semi-finalist last year, is going well again, beating Casper Ruud 6-4 6-4 6-2, while young Australian Alex De Minaur recovered from losing the second set to love to beat 11th seed Karen Khachanov 6-4 0-6 4-6 6-3 6-1.

PA