cnn
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Daniil Medvedev beat compatriot Andrey Rublev to reach the semi-finals of the US Open on Wednesday, but warned that a player could “die” in what he called “brutal” conditions at the tournament.
Medvedev triumphed over Rublev in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, but both players could be seen struggling in the heat inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, took two medical breaks during the match, using an inhaler on both occasions in an attempt to overcome the side effects of the grueling conditions.
Both players continued to wear towels throughout the match to deal with the copious levels of sweat in the match that sapped their energy.
Midway through the third set, Medvedev, 27, could be heard saying to the camera: “a player is going to die and you'll see.”
According to CNN's weather team, temperatures reached 93 degrees Fahrenheit at Flushing Meadows during the game, with conditions that felt like 96 degrees Fahrenheit. The area is under a heat advisory until 8 pm ET on Wednesday.
CNN reached out to the US Open for comment on conditions on the court.
After the victory, Medvedev called the conditions “brutal” and explained that he could not see the ball at the end of the first set.
“The only good thing I see in these conditions is that they both suffer,” Medvedev said during his on-court interview. “It was hard for both of us. There were some ups and downs, but that's very normal. At the end of the first set I couldn't see the ball anymore. “I played with sensations.”
“I tried to try, I tried to run and he did the same thing. Before the stitches I was thinking, 'Wow, he can't run anymore,' so I tried to make him run and run and run, but he was there all the time. But we were tired all the time. Brutal conditions and very difficult to win.”
In such grueling and humid conditions, it was Medvedev who was able to muster the energy reserves necessary to claim victory and book his place in the US Open semi-finals.
There was little to separate the two Russians, who had previously called themselves “very close friends” of Rublev, the godfather of Medvedev's daughter, with long rallies and games making things even more difficult for the players. on the court.
But as Rublev began to weaken, Medvedev was able to force enough errors to win in straight sets: a monstrous final game epitomized the victory, lasting more than 15 minutes before Medvedev was able to force one last error from his compatriot on his fifth match point after two hours and 48 minutes.
After battling the conditions and a tough opponent, Medvedev showed why he is a true contender for this year's title, going a break in each set in the impressive victory.
He will now face Carlos Alcaraz or Alexander Zverev, who will play later on Wednesday, for a place in the final.
