Cincinnati Open: Roberto Bautista Agut makes comeback, throws defending champion Daniil Medvedev out, to reach Semis

POST MATCH INTERVIEW | BAUTISTA-AGUT

The Spaniard said it was cooler than other days and court was much slower. He further said, “after six months without competition.. pressure feels a little bit more… I was competing better than him in the 2nd and 3rd set.”

Talking about his upcoming match , Agut said, ” I will try to play my best game” and further reflected on his potential competitors.

MATCH SUMMARY

The affair seemed one sided when the Spaniard went down 5-0 in the firsts et. He won a consolation gme and the Russian sealed the set in 28 minutes with the scoreline reading 6-1. Medvedev the defending champion seemed on his path of this years Semi Final.

The Spaniard made a comeback with the second set where he was able to give a tough fight until 4-4 when he got a break. Then the Spaniard was able hold his serve and finally break Medvedev agian to seal the set. The duo played a mix of shots including slices, drop and colley. Bautista-Agut won majority of his points at the net.

Finally, the third set was filled with ups and downs. It saw the first hold of serve at 2-1 by Agut. He further dominated the set post 3-2 when he broke Medvedev. There was no looking back, despite struggles the Russia could not comeback in the set. Ultimately at 5-3, Agut held his serve successfully and won.

Live Updates

00:55 IST: A big serve. GAME. SET. MATCH. The comeback King, Roberto Bautista Agut wins against the defending champion in 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.

00:39 IST: Spaniard wasting opportunities as the Russian has the ADVANTAGE. But a backhand unforced error way too outside the court. DEUCE. An out sot by Agut makes Medvedev at the advantage. DEUCE, as Medvedev, misses the shot in the crosscourt alley. Fabulous play by both players before Agut could earn the third match point. A 30 shots rally. Will Agut be able to win this? Code Violation as Agut exceeds time limit to serve. An argument with the umpire ensues.

00:36 IST: Serving for a place in the semi-final, Agut wins the first point on the net. He has won a majority of his net points today. A forehand crosscourt rally dominated by the Russain wins the point on the net 15-15. A short ball making up an easy point for Agut 30-15. LET first serve. Players grunt it out in the lengthy crucial point. Two match points for Agut. OOPS, Agut misses an easy drop volley on the net. What a backhand as Medvedev enters the court. DEUCE

00:41 IST: Medvedev starts with an ace. In a flash he leads 40-0 and GAME. Agut almost saving his energy for his service game.

00:36 IST: Agut begins his service game with a shot on the net. The next point also goes to Medvedev, will this be another break? Medvedev wins three break points after Agut misses on the volley. A forehand down the line to win his first point of the game 15-40. A big serve 30-40. Agut wins as Medvedev tried to sneek in the net and makes it DEUCE. Medvedev missing out on his chances as Agur wins the ADVANTAGE and a big serve that makes him HOLD 5-2

00:31 IST: Medvedev will have to hold. The final set could go any way. Medvedev wins the beginning point 15-0. An out ball fetches a point for the Spaniard and a winner BY the Russian 30-15. Agut gets back to win the next point 30-30. A cheap shot out as Agut leads with a break point. A brilliant point set up by Agut and BREAK !!!!! 4-2

00:28 IST: Agut starts with a big serve 15-0. A ball missed in the alley by Medvedev and 30-0. Agut wins the third point and hold three game points. A poor return and GAME HOLD. 3-2

00:25 IST: Medvedev still looking for a hold. Bautista Agut gives a point to Medvedev by a backhand on the net. A similar point given to Agut now, 15-15. A poor return, Medvedev 30-15 up and misses an inside out on the net, 30-30. A beautifully constructed point won on the volley by the Russian. 40-30. Good serve and HOLD, 2-2.

00: 16 IST: Agut misses a simple ball on his overhead, 0-15. Medvedev loses the long rally to give the point to Agut. An unforced error by Agut, the ball goes just long. Agut wins a point with a beautiful drop volley 30-30. Double fault to give Medvedev a break point. Brilliant serve. DEUCE. Serve and valley fetched Agut an advantage. Agut holds with a drive volley and Agut leads 2-1. The first HOLD in this set.

00:13 IST: Brilliant volley from Agut to win the first, 0-15. The Spaniard takes another easy point. And third point for Agut, 0-40 The Russian trying to come back on his serve 15-40. The second breakpoint saved by Medvedev, 30-40. DEUCE the Russian is adamant to hold. A long rally, relentless from Bautista-Agut. ADVANTAGE Spaniard, a long shot by Medvedev and BREAK. 1-1

00:09 IST: Begins the set with an ACE, Agut loses the second point entering the court, unable to pick up the passing shot 15-15. This time Medvedev enters inside the court and win the point, 30-15. A drop shot for Medvedev that he reaches but fails to pick up 30-30. An unforced error from Agut hands the Russian a breakpoint 30-40 and another back to back unforced error on forehand. BREAK. 0-1 MEDVEDEV LEADS/

00:03 IST:BOOM A Smash from Agut, dominating physically. 0-15. A crosscourt winner for Medvedev 15-15. An on the run shot in the net by the Russian 15-30. Agut is set to win the game and the set leading 15-40 and BREAK. GAME. SET. 6-4.

11:59 IST: Agut begins to serve and after a 23 shot rally, Medvedev gets his first point after getting broken. Point for Medvedev 0-30. The Russian is covering the whole court running around and yet loses the point after Agut is in the short court. Now, serve and Volley for Agut to lead his service game 40-30. Brilliant defending from Agut from down in the game to hold 5-4.

11:57 IST: A ball landing just outside the line wins a point for Agut and DEUCE. Agut is not giving up. He now wins the point and ADVANTAGE. The Spaniard will seek to break the Russian and he does. BREAK. GAME 4-4

11:56 IST: The hawk eye confirms that Agut’s ball was out 30-30. Medvedev wins another point after hitting it in the alley. 40-30

11:51 IST : Medvedev only a couple of games away to reach another Semi at Cincinnati Open. Medvedev dictates the point and BOOM a winner from Agut who enters the court. 0-15. Medvedev loses another point as he enters the court and Agut passes. 0-30. Unforced error from Agut. 15-30

11:49 IST: A backhand stretched outside as Medvedev gets an ADVANTAGE. Finally, Medvedev wins as Agut missed the court, MEDVEDEV leads 4-3

11: 44 IST: Agut begins to serve and players have a long baseline rally. An unforced error by Medvedev 15-0. But another point fetched by Medvedev. 15-15. Another long rally as Medvedev misses in the net. 30-15. This is a challenging point as Medvedev attacks and wins the point 30-30. The rally forces Medvedev to enter the court only to lose a point to a passing shot he cannot reach. 40-30. A beautiful shot, winner as Agut only gazes at it. DEUCE.

11: 41 IST: Here comes a breakpoint for Agut but BOOOM! Ace from Medvedev to make it DEUCE. Medvedev serves to take ADVANTAGE. A good second serve leads to a HOLD. 3-3

11:39 PM IST: Medvedev will serve and here Agut seems to be looking for a break. Agut leads 30-15 and BANG a short court winner from Medvedev to equalise 30-30.

11:38 PM IST: The score is DEUCE againand this time MEDVEDEV has the ADVANTAGE, A fourth chance to win the game and finally he breaks Agut. We are back on serve. Agut leads 3-2

11:35 IST: Agut got the ADVANTAGE and on the game point did a blunder.

11:33 PM IST: Medvedev seems to be distracted. He had a three break point leading 40-0 on Agut’s serve and is now on DEUCE

11:31 PM IST: It was a server’s game until Agut broke Medvedev to make the score in his favour. Agut is now serving with a lead of 3-1.

LIVE UPDATE: KEI NISHIKORI HAS TESTED NEGATIVE FOR COVID-19 AFTER TESTING POSITIVE TWO WEEKS AGO. UNFORTUNATELY, HE WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN THE US OPEN AS HE DOES NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE TO PLAY A 5-SETTER SO SOON

11:21 IST: Medvedev trying to hold his serve 30-15. And he spring to the net and wins a point with a lob to lead 40-15. A winner to seal his service game HOLD 1-1

11:17 IST: ADVANTAGE to Agut as he manages to win the lucky point. DEUCE again. Medvedev not giving up so soon! Agut ADVANTAGE and GAME. AGUT IN THE LEAD. 1-0

11:14 IST: The second set commences. Agut will look for a comeback. Medvedev is brushing past the Spaniard and has a 40-0 as he seeks to break. A casual error by Medvedev 40-15. Another error by Medvedev in the net 40-30. Agut makes it DEUCE as Medvedev missed a slice on the net.

11:08 IST: The Russian starts to return serve and wins the point after a long rally. 15-0. The Spaniard decides to approach the net as Medvedev hits the ball flying off the court. 15-15. Medvedev has an equally massive return. 15-30. Point for Medvedev as he equals it 30-30. Medvedev has a set point at 40-30 and GAME. SET. MEDVEDEV 6-1. The defending champion is on fire.

11:04 IST: Bautista Agut will have to hold to stay in the set. He starts off with an easy point as Medvedev misses a return. Another point for Agut, OUT ball by Medvedev. Another error by the Russian, the Spaniard may just have his first game. ACE! GAME HOLD. 5-1

11:03 IST: After two massive Aces and another point Medvedev leads 40-0. The first point for Agut in the game, but Medvedev seals the game. Medvedev leads 5-0 in the best tennis all week.

11:00 IST: We join the live-action as the score between the duo is 3-0 as Medvedev is leading his way through the first set. Agust is broken once, can he hold this game? The game score is in favour of Russian. GAME 4-0. Twenty minutes of play.

HEAD TO HEAD|

Bautista Agut won the pair’s only previous ATP Head2Head meeting 6-3, 6-4 in the 2017 Chennai final. Then 20, Medvedev was World No. 99 and competing in his first ATP Tour final. 

Defending Western & Southern Open champion Daniil Medvedev will have his hands full Wednesday afternoon if he hopes to keep his title defence dreams alive. The Russian will play eighth seed Roberto Bautista Agut in what promises to be a gruelling battle on Grandstand at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.