Daniil Medvedev is one win away from retaking the world number one spot after moving past American Jenson Brooksby 7-5 6-1 and into the Miami Open quarter-finals on Tuesday.
The U.S. Open champion lost his serve in the first game but found momentum after fending off two more break points in the fifth, winning the final four games of the first set in which he fired down six aces.
The Russian ripped through the second set in less than half an hour, dropping one first serve point.
Double break
“A crucial moment was when he didn’t convert a double-break point for a double break so I managed to make him serve for the set and it’s not always easy,” said Medvedev.
“I felt sometimes I’m, let’s say, kind of a low intensity guy and try to keep my energy and see what’s going on. I felt like today was not enough in the beginning so I tried to pump myself up.”
The intensity will surely be high in his Masters 1000 quarter-final. If the Russian can beat his next opponent - either Lloyd Harris or eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz - he will replace Novak Djokovic at the top of the rankings.
