Australian Open 2024: Zverev, Medvedev reach quarterfinals

The German sixth seed, Zverev, won 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (10/3) in a match lasting more than four hours and will face either second seed Carlos Alcaraz or unseeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic in the last eight.

Alexander Zverev, right, of Germany is congratulated by Cameron Norrie of Britain following their fourth-round match at the Australian Open. | Photo Credit: AP

Alexander Zverev overcame a fierce challenge from Britain’s Cameron Norrie, while Two-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev overwhelmed stubborn resistance from Portugal’s Nuno Borges to make the Australian Open quarterfinals on Monday.

The German sixth seed, Zverev, won 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (10/3) in a match lasting more than four hours and will face either second seed Carlos Alcaraz or unseeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic in the last eight.

“At the end of the day it’s a Grand Slam and everyone is playing at their best here,” said Zverev. “Cam has definitely been playing amazing tennis and I’m just happy to get through.”

Both men were rock-solid on serve in the first set until Zverev won a compelling 16-shot rally to earn two break points in the 11th game, making the vital breakthrough when Norrie netted.

The German, who had won all four of their previous Tour-level matches, broke first in the second set to ramp up the pressure on his 19th-seeded opponent but Norrie then went on a four-game winning spree to level the match.

A single break was enough to give Zverev the third set and the roles were reversed in the fourth set as Norrie hit back.

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev celebrates victory against Portugal’s Nuno Borges during their men’s singles match on day nine of the Australian Open. | Photo Credit: AFP

In the other game, the Russian third seed, Medvedev, was made to work hard by the courageous world number 69 before getting over the line 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-1 after more than three hours on Rod Laver Arena.

He will meet Polish ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz for a place in the last four.

“Before this match I was feeling 100 percent,” said Medvedev, a finalist in 2021 and 2022, losing to Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

“But he made me run third set and that’s why I missed a little bit too much, I was pretty dead to be honest. In the fourth set I managed to raise my energy levels.”

Before this year’s Australian Open, Borges had never won back-to-back Tour-level matches outside of Davis Cup and his lack of pedigree was ultimately exposed.