Medvedev storms into Australian Open quarters

Medvedev beat the 25-year-old American 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in his fourth-round match that lasted an hour and 29 minutes at the Margaret Court Arena.

Melbourne: Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev on Monday entered the men's singles quarter-finals of the Australian Open for the first time after a commanding straight-sets win over Mackenzie McDonald.

Medvedev beat the 25-year-old American 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in his fourth-round match that lasted an hour and 29 minutes at the Margaret Court Arena.

• From @ATPCup teammates to quarterfinal opponents?@DaniilMedwed has his fingers crossed 🤞for an all-🇷🇺affair!#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/EywD3vt7lv

  — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 15, 2021 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  From @ATPCup teammates to quarterfinal opponents?@DaniilMedwed has his fingers crossed 🤞for an all-🇷🇺affair!#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/EywD3vt7lv

  — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 15, 2021

  ">

  From @ATPCup teammates to quarterfinal opponents?@DaniilMedwed has his fingers crossed 🤞for an all-🇷🇺affair!#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/EywD3vt7lv

  — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 15, 2021

"It's an exciting moment (to be) in (the) quarter-finals in Australia for the first time, that's a great achievement for me," Medvedev was quoted as saying in his post-match interview by the ATP Tour website. "I want more all the time, but step by step. So this is amazing."

Medvedev can now face Andrey Rublev -- who takes on Casper Ruud in the fourth round -- in what can be a blockbuster quarter-final clash.

• 18. In. A. Row.
  
  ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅#AusOpen #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/R12VH4hob4

  — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 15, 2021 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  18. In. A. Row.
  
  ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅#AusOpen #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/R12VH4hob4

  — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 15, 2021

  ">

  18. In. A. Row.
  
  ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅#AusOpen #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/R12VH4hob4

  — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 15, 2021

"Of course I'm going to be (cheering) for Andrey, because if he goes through it's going to be at least one Russian in the semis, maybe two with Aslan (Karatsev) in the other half of the draw," said Medvedev.

With the win, Medvedev had moved into his third Grand Slam quarter-final, and his first away from the US Open. He is looking to become Russia's first male Grand Slam champion since Marat Safin won the Australian Open in 2005.