US Open 2021: Dan Evans loses to Daniil Medvedev in fourth round

Britain’s Dan Evans was outclassed by second seed Daniil Medvedev as the dominant Russian reached the US Open quarter-finals.

Medvedev, 25, has not dropped a set at this tournament and the British number one never got close to changing that under the roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The world number two will play Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp next.

Evans beaten but can take home positives

By reaching the fourth round in New York, 31-year-old Evans had matched his previous best Grand Slam performance and is set to reach a career-high ranking inside the world’s top 25 when the list is next published after the US Open.

After some disappointing results at the other three Grand Slams of the year, where he lost in the first round at the Australian and French Opens and the third round at Wimbledon, and having missed the Tokyo Olympics because he contracted Covid-19, this tournament has been uplifting for both him and British tennis fans.

In his previous round he had to fight back from two sets down to beat Alexei Popyrin and against Medvedev he once again showed glimpses of his grit.

Facing set point on his serve at 5-2 in the opener, Evans saved it with a wonderful point where he hit an angled volley at the net before rushing back to successfully unleash a smash.

It meant he forced Medvedev to serve out the set, with the Russian taking it when Evans sent a backhand into the net.

But the Briton was then broken to love in the first game of the second to give Medvedev an early advantage that he never looked like relinquishing.

Evans was in danger of letting the Russian go a double break up for 3-0 but fought back from 15-40 down to stay in touch and then got a break back for 3-3.

But the Briton immediately found himself behind again after two double faults contributed to a soft break of his serve. Medvedev wasted no time in making the break count as he eventually went on to serve out the set with a rapid game that included two aces and one unreturnable second serve.

Evans put up little resistance in the third as Medvedev broke early and then again to love to wrap up a clinical victory in a swift one hour 45 minutes.

Medvedev marches on

The early exits of leading players including third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, fifth seed Andrey Rublev and eighth seed Casper Ruud has opened up this half of the draw for Medvedev, who is seeking a maiden Grand Slam title.

Yet to drop a set, and having not lost more than four games in a set, he is displaying why he has been hotly tipped to be the man who could derail Novak Djokovic’s bid for a calendar Grand Slam.

Medvedev was imperious on serve, hammering down 13 aces and winning 84% of first-serve points, but it was one of his service returns that he dubbed “the best shot of the match”.

He was in fact so impressed with the shot – a stunning round-the-net forehand return that kissed the line – that he gestured for the crowd to make more noise in appreciation for it at the time.

There were plenty of other instances when there was no need to ask for admiration as the Russian unleashed 43 winners in a devastating performance.

Medvedev is clear with his aims in New York, where he is seeking to shake off the disappointment of a quarter-final defeat at the Olympics last month by improving on being runner-up to Rafael Nadal here two years ago.

“I just want to make it to the final again to make some more memories – and hopefully a better one [this time],” said Medvedev, who lost in five sets to the Spanish 20-time Grand Slam champion in that final.