MELBOURNE, Australia - US Open champion Daniil Medvedev advanced to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with a 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-7(4), 7-5 win over Maxime Cressi on Monday.
2 ranked Medvedev is looking to become the first man in the Open era to win his second major singles title at the next Grand Slam event.
He is now potentially three wins away from back-to-back major titles.
Medvedev finished runner-up in Australia last year, but avenged a win over Novak Djokovic in the final of the US Open. Djokovic is not defending his Australian Open title after being relegated on the eve of the first major of the year for failing to meet the country's strict COVID-19 vaccination rules.
In a match that lasted three-and-a-half hours, Medvedev had to fight against number 70 Crecy. Cressy saved eight break-point chances in the fourth set before Medvedev got the decisive break in the 11th game, then worked lovingly to finish it.
Medvedev will now face ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassim, who defeated 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2, 7-6 (4). Medvedev defeated Canada in the semi-finals of the US Open last year.