Russia's Daniil Medvedev waves after defeating Australia's Alexei Popyrin in their third round singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne
2019 U.S. Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev had no trouble beating 96th-ranked Alexei Popyrin, a 20-year-old Australian who is ranked 96th and was dealing with a left hip issue. Medvedev won 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 and faces three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka next.
“I am happy to win it in straight sets,” Medvedev said on court. “I have good memories from last year, which was my first time in the second week of a Grand Slam and hopefully I can make it even further this year. I just try to win as many matches as I can; hopefully I can win seven here.”
Looking ahead to his meeting with Wawrinka, Medvedev said, “It’s a very tough opponent for the fourth round. He’s won three majors and has gone deep a lot of times. It’s never going to be an easy match against Stan and I will have to show my best game to have a chance.”
Three-time major champion Wawrinka has moved into the fourth round at Melbourne Park after 19th-seeded American John Isner stopped playing in the second set.
Wawrinka led 6-4, 4-1 when Isner was visited by a trainer at a changeover and then retired from the match.
Wawrinka said, “You never want your opponent to pull out. I was playing well again today. I was really happy the way I was moving, the way I was playing. That's very positive.
“It's great to be back in the second week, that's for sure. Feeling way better. Positive to have a good practice tomorrow and to be ready for the next one.”
Wawrinka won the Australian Open in 2014 for his first Grand Slam title. This is his seventh trip to the round of 16 in Melbourne and first since 2017.
