Daniil Medvedev has quietly emerged as a serious contender for the Italian Open title.
A month on from his shocking 6-0, 6-0 loss in Monte Carlo, the Russian appears to have re-captured his best clay-court form in Italy.
On Tuesday, the 30-year-old advanced to a second career Italian Open quarter-final after beating Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-3, 6-2 in Rome.
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Medvedev will now play lucky loser Martin Landaluce for a place in the semi-finals.
Ahead of Thursday’s clash, Medvedev has already achieved a stunning ATP feat that places him in the same discussion as Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev.
Daniil Medvedev has reached multiple quarter-finals at all nine Masters 1000 events
Upon defeating Tirante on Tuesday, Daniil Medvedev has now twice reached the quarter-finals in Rome.
Medvedev first accomplished the feat in 2023, before going on to win the title.
As per statisticians OptaAce, Medvedev is now only the third active player to reach multiple quarter-finals at all nine ATP Masters 1000 events.
The other two active players to do so are Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev.
Medvedev will hope to qualify for his third Masters 1000 semi-final of this year when he plays Spanish youngster Martin Landaluce on Thursday.
Landaluce, who also reached the Miami Open quarter-finals earlier this year, is considered to be one of the most exciting young talents on the ATP Tour alongside the likes of Alexander Blockx and Rafael Jodar.
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Medvedev and Landaluce have never played each other before on the ATP Tour.
The winner of their contest will play Jannik Sinner or Andrey Rublev in the Italian Open semi-finals.
Daniil Medvedev’s projected path to the Italian Open title
- Quarter-finals: Martin Landaluce
- Semi-finals: Jannik Sinner or Andrey Rublev
- Final: Casper Ruud or Rafael Jodar
Daniil Medvedev’s first Masters 1000 quarter-final
In 2019, Daniil Medvedev secured his place in a Masters 1000 quarter-final for the very first time.
At the Monte Carlo Masters, Medvedev defeated Joao Sousa, Radu Albot and Stefanos Tsitsipas; setting up a clash with tennis legend Novak Djokovic.
Medvedev proceeded to stun the Serbian superstar, winning their quarter-final contest 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
“Novak was not amazing first set, so I needed to hold my level and take my chances,” Medvedev told reporters after the match. “That’s what I did. Nothing much to say.
“Second set he managed to raise up his level, even though I had break point in the beginning. I tried to stay with him till then to try to break back.
“Didn’t happen, but I think it helped me to stay straightaway also close in the third set, that I didn’t let him win, like, 6-2 the second set or something like this.
“And third set at one moment he broke. I don’t know if it’s because of me or because of him, but I’m happy that I managed to maintain my level throughout the whole match.”
Medvedev was defeated in the semi-finals by Dusan Lajovic.
