US Open: Daniil Medvedev reflects on disheartening quarter-final loss to Jannik Sinner

Daniil Medvedev expressed disappointment following his quarter-final exit at the US Open on Wednesday, where he fell to Italy’s Jannik Sinner in a four-set battle. Sinner triumphed 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 in what was a rollercoaster match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, avenging his Wimbledon quarter-final defeat to Medvedev two months prior.

Medvedev, the World No. 5, admitted he struggled with inconsistency throughout the encounter. “It’s a tough loss,” Medvedev said in his post-match assessment. “I am definitely not happy with the way I played in general, because there were some very good moments and some not so good. In the end, it’s rare that I get tight, but I got super tight. When I was missing, I didn’t feel why, so I couldn’t correct it.”

Despite the disappointment, Medvedev acknowledged the positives from the match, especially his ability to bounce back in the second set. “The first set was horrible for me,” he reflected. “I managed to solve a lot of problems in the second set, and played better. In the fourth set, I started solving some of the issues I had in the third.”

The Russian had arrived at the US Open looking to rediscover his form after a difficult run in the North American hard-court swing, where he suffered early exits at the Paris Olympics, Montreal, and Cincinnati. Although he dropped only one set across his first four rounds in New York, Medvedev never quite felt fully comfortable. He cited the tricky playing conditions and his lack of confidence as contributing factors.

Sinner’s victory continued to chip away at Medvedev’s once-dominant head-to-head record against the Italian. While Medvedev had initially led the rivalry 6-0, Sinner has now won six of their last seven encounters, narrowing the gap to 6-7. “It’s been tough lately,” Medvedev admitted. “But I feel like we both come out of this match thinking, ‘Okay, now I feel what he does.’ The only difference is he won, and I lost. I’ll try to be better next time.”

Despite the loss, Medvedev’s quarter-final run has bolstered his chances of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, marking his sixth consecutive appearance if he secures his spot. He is currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, with only Taylor Fritz remaining in the US Open draw capable of surpassing him.