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In a stunning comeback, third seed Daniil Medvedev rallied from two sets down to defeat Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori 3-6, 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-6(1), 6-0 in a thrilling match that concluded at 3:40 a.m. local time in Melbourne.
Despite facing frustration and uncharacteristic errors, Medvedev, the 2021 and 2022 runner-up, found the resolve to elevate his game when needed. Reflecting on the victory, he remarked, “It was tough. I think the only two matches when I went two-sets-to-love down and won, it was here, on this court... This one is for sure going to stay in my memory, at 3:40 in the morning.”
Acknowledging the challenges, Medvedev explained, “It was not easy to start the match, and in the first set, I was missing too much. I was missing all over the place... I [changed my racquets] and finally found one where I felt like I was playing better. Sometimes it is just something you create in your mind. I stayed with this racquet. I started with it at the beginning of the third set and stayed with it until the end of the match.”
With this hard-fought win, Medvedev extended his Australian Open record to 23-7 and set up a clash with 27th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the next round. Auger-Aliassime advanced by defeating qualifier Hugo Grenier 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.