Miami
Top-seeded Daniil Medvedev hobbled into the fourth round of the Miami Open on Sunday, defying crippling leg cramps to beat Australian Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (7/9), 6-4.
World number two Medvedev, increasingly hampered as the third set wore on in the heat and humidity of South Florida, nevertheless mustered the only service break of the third set on the way to a dramatic victory over 86th-ranked Popyrin in the ATP Masters and WTA hardcourt tournament.
‘It’s probably one of the sweetest victories in my career, because I was cramping like hell in the third set,’ Medvedev said.
‘It was really painful,’ Medvedev said. ‘A few moments during rallies, I felt like my legs were not following me any more.
The only thing I was thinking about was not to fall down because if I fell down, I don’t think I’d be able to get up.—APP
