US Open 2021 quarter-final: Botic van de Zandschulp v Daniil Medvedev – live!

Fourth set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6, 6-4, *0-1 Medvedev (*denotes next server) A strong hold to open the set, with Medvedev in full control of the one rally he has to manage. A hold to love, and the pressure back on his opponent.

Van de Zandschulp heads for a comfort break, finding himself back in this match after a brutally one-sided second set. Will Medvedev find another gear, or is the comeback really on? Time to find out.

Third set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6, 6-4* Medvedev (*denotes next server) A big game for the qualifier, who is cheered on by the crowd as he heads back on court. The first two scrappy rallies are shared, but Medvedev edges the next, a cagey 24-shot affair. VdZ then produces a smartly-timed drop shot, and prevails in the next rally to earn a set point. What an effort this is – and he gets it done as Medvedev goes long!

Third set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6, *5-4 Medvedev (*denotes next server) Van de Zandschulp sends a couple of slices beyond the baseline – a sure sign he’s feeling it. It’s a straightforward hold for Medvedev, who now has to break to avoid losing a set for the first time this tournament.

Third set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6, 5-3* Medvedev (*denotes next server) Ten unforced errors in this third set from Medvedev, and despite mistakenly leaving a forehand pass that drops in, Van de Zandschulp holds to 15.

Third set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6, *4-3 Medvedev (*denotes next server) If Medvedev wanted a bit of pressure, he’s got some now. An ace, then an awkward cross-court volley, another ace, and a forehand winner. Back over to you, Botic.

Third set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6 4-2* Medvedev (*denotes next server) Well, then. Medvedev was in total control but he’s become a little impatient and distracted, and his opponent has edged ahead in the third set. Van de Zandschulp is playing better – particularly his first serve and net points – and he cruises to a love hold.

Third set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6 *3-2 Medvedev (*denotes next server) At 30-all, there’s a pause while they try to clear some rogue graphics off the digital screen behind Van de Zandschulp. The qualifier wins the next rally with an inch-perfect, disguised drop shot – and follows up with a forehand winner down the line!

Third set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6, 2-2* Medvedev (*denotes next server) Van de Zandschulp hit 15 aces against Diego Schwartzman; he is yet to find one against the elastic Medvedev. The Dutchman hustles well here, coming into the net to close out points – and holds serve with his first ace of the day!

Third set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6 *1-2 Medvedev (*denotes next server) Indecent haste from Medvedev, pounding down the big first serves and then chases down a return to finish with a cross-court flourish. He mithers the umpire about the ball supply again – it’s almost as if he’s trying to inject some intensity.

Third set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6 1-1* Medvedev (*denotes next server) VdZ has had his moments today, but they’ve come at the wrong time. After making Medvedev fight for that hold, he double faults to start his own service game. He does, to his credit, fight back to hold and end Medvedev’s eight-game winning run.

In the middle of the game, Medvedev asked for more balls to be available on the court – which prompted the umpire to produce one extra ball from his bag and chuck it into the mix. I’ve never seen that before.

Third set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-6 *0-1 Medvedev (*denotes next server) At 30-all, Medvedev watches a looping return closely and smashes it down the line, letting out a roar of approval. He’s impatient to get this done – maybe too impatient. Some errors creep in, and Medvedev has to save three break points from a tenacious opponent, before finally finding an ace to hold.

Medvedev won that set in 19 minutes – the shortest set of the entire men’s tournament. It’s tough on Van de Zandschulp, who just doesn’t have anything left in the tank after his long run to the quarter-finals.

The qualifier’s luck is out, as a forehand clips the net and balloons out of play – but he rescues the next point with an improbable lob from the back of the court. Medvedev wants this set over, and scurries in from the baseline to blast two cross-court winners and take total control.

Second set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, *0-5 Medvedev (*denotes next server) Medvedev puts some zip on his first serve, then powers a 121mph second-serve ace down the middle to hold.

Second set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-4* Medvedev (*denotes next server) VdZ made some in-roads in the first set when it was all but lost; now he’s struggling to stay in the second. For every forehand winner (10 so far) there’s a rally Medvedev always looks likely to win. The Russian strolls to another break point, and takes it as his opponent sends a slice wide.

Second set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, *0-3 Medvedev (*denotes next server) VdZ (as I’m sure his friends call him) needs winners, and lots of them, to stay in this. He finds a cracking cross-court forehand, and a rare Medvedev error gives him hope at 30-all. Hope that’s quickly extinguished by a big first serve, then an accurate second serve.

Second set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, 0-2* Medvedev (*denotes next server) From a foot behind the baseline, Medvedev threads a backhand winner down the line and then outlasts his opponent in a rally. Break point, and Van De Zandschulp goes for a winner – the right tactic, but it drifts just long.

Second set: Van de Zandschulp 3-6, *0-1 Medvedev (*denotes next server) Van de Zandschulp has been banging his legs with his racket between points, which suggests a bit of fatigue. He’s played almost 20 hours of tennis to get here, after all. Medvedev holds to 15 here, his first serve looking much stronger.

Van de Zandschulp finds a couple of crisp winners but some trademark baseline hitting from Medvedev earns a break point. It’s saved, and another two get away from Medvedev as his opponent digs in. But a ferocious return from deep weakens the Dutchman’s resistance, and he goes long to surrender the set.

First set: Van de Zandschulp *3-5 Medvedev (*denotes next server) Medvedev serves for the first set with new balls, and gets caught by a zinger of a return. Van de Zandschulp follows that up with a looping forehand winner and wins a bruising rally to earn a break point. Medvedev nets, and the set is still alive!

First set: Van de Zandschulp 2-5* Medvedev (*denotes next server) The qualifier has played seven matches just to get here, and Medvedev is making him do most of the running so far. A couple of ambitious returns drift wide, though, and Van de Zandschulp holds with a belting forehand into the corner.

First set: Van de Zandschulp *1-5 Medvedev (*denotes next server) Medvedev gets pegged back to 30-all, but two big first serves – the second an ace – takes him one game away from the first set.

First set: Van de Zandschulp 1-4* Medvedev (*denotes next server) At 30-all, Medvedev steps in to punish a loose drop shot, and it’s a double break as Van de Zandschulp sends a shot narrowly wide. He hasn’t been terrible by any means, but this first set already looks over.

First set: Van de Zandschulp *1-3 Medvedev (*denotes next server) Medvedev breezes to a love hold. There is a shadow over the bottom half of the court, which is making things tricky for both players – although less so for Medvedev so far.

First set: Van de Zandschulp 1-2* Medvedev (*denotes next server) Some nice net work gets Van de Zandschulp on the board, and draws a first cheer from the crowd. A very solid hold to love.

First set: Van de Zandschulp *0-2 Medvedev (*denotes next server) Medvedev didn’t have to do much to get that break; it was a nervous start from the qualifier. Medvedev’s first serve is a little rusty, but a pair of accurate second serves sets up the hold.

First set: Van de Zandschulp 0-1* Medvedev (*denotes next server) The Dutchman serves first, and double-faults before losing a long rally. Early break points for Medvedev, and he takes it as Van de Zandschulp fires an attempted winner side.

Here they come! Both players are out at a sunlit, half-full Arthur Ashe Stadium. Van de Zandschulp has never played on this court before – in fact, this is his first-ever trip to New York.

His opponent has beaten two top-16 seeds to get here, but Daniil Medvedev has been quietly impressive too, beating Richard Gasquet, Dominik Koepfer, Pablo Andújar and Dan Evans without dropping a set.

Van de Zandschulp has beaten Carlos Taberner, Casper Ruud, Facundo Bagnis and Diego Schwartzman to get here, and is an 18-1 shot to win this match.

Here’s a reminder of the quarter-final line-ups. Tuesday’s evening games will be Krejcikova v Sabalenka and Auger-Aliassime v Alvarez. Decent!

Men’s singles
[1, Ser] Novak Djokovic v Matteo Berrettini [6, Ita]
[4, Ger] Alexander Zverev v Lloyd Harris [SA]
[12, Can] Felix Auger-Aliassime v Carlos Alcaraz [Sp]
[Ned] Botic van de Zandschulp v Daniil Medvedev [2, Rus]

Women’s singles
[GB] Emma Raducanu v Belinda Bencic [11, Sui]
[4, Cze] Karolina Pliskova v Maria Sakkari [17, Gre]
[5, Ukr] Elina Svitolina v Leylah Fernandez [Can]
[8, Cze] Barbora Krejcikova v Aryna Sabalenka [2, Blr]

The players will be out on court in 10 minutes or so. As mentioned below, Emma Raducanu powered into the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Shelby Rogers. The beaten American, who knocked out Ash Barty in the previous round, gave her thoughts on social media abuse afterwards:

“I’m going to have nine million death threats and whatnot … it’s very much polarising, one extreme to the other very quickly. You could probably go through my profile right now – I’m probably a ‘fat pig’ and words that I can’t say right now. You try not to take it to heart … it’s the unfortunate side of any sport and what we do.”

The absence of several stars and a series of shock results has given this US Open a unique feel, with some unexpected and unfamiliar names in the quarter-finals.

Emma Raducanu will be back on court tomorrow, but she’s not the only qualifier still in contention. Botic van de Zandschulp, who faces No 2 seed Daniil Medvedev today, is just the third qualifier ever to reach the men’s quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows.

The Dutchman has enjoyed a remarkable run, winning three qualifying matches from a set down, coming back from two down in the first round and then dispatching seeds Casper Ruud and Diego Schwartzman. Medvedev starts the afternoon’s opening match as a big favourite, but the qualifier might feel destiny is on his side.

Raducanu is also not the only breakout star left in the women’s draw. Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez has defeated two former champions, Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber, to reach the last eight. Next in her sights is Elina Svitolina, a top-10 mainstay yet to reach a grand slam final who eliminated Simona Halep in the last 16.

That match will follow Van de Zandschulp v Medvedev, which begins at 12pm local time (5pm BST) at Arthur Ashe Stadium.