'A player is going to die', says Medvedev after US Open win in brutal heat

NEW YORK : Third seed Daniil Medvedev overcame brutal heat and a gritty Andrey Rublev to fight his way into the U.S. Open last four on Wednesday with a 6-4 6-3 6-4 win over his daughter's godfather, who for the ninth time hit a Grand Slam quarter-final wall.

On another steamy hot day with temperatures in the mid-90s Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) Medvedev was better able deal with the stifling humidity and heat inside Arthur Ashe Stadium than eighth seed Rublev to make the Flushing Meadows semi-finals for the fourth time in five years.

Despite getting the victory, Medvedev was not happy about playing in such difficult conditions, the 2021 champion complaining into the camera while wiping off sweat in the third set: "You cannot imagine, one player is going to die and then they're going to see."

For Rublev it was a familiar end to a Grand Slam, made all the more painful coming at the hands of his good friend Medvedev for the third time and second at the U.S. Open.

Nine times Rublev has contested a Grand Slam quarter-final, losing each one with Medvedev also knocking him out at the same stage of the 2020 U.S. Open and 2021 Australian Open.

The all-Russian match lacked the buzz and drama of the all-American late night showdown between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton hours earlier, but the sight of two seeds battling each other and the elements was no less riveting.

"The only good thing I see in these conditions is that both suffer," said Medvedev. "Usually there is not one that suffers so it's tough for both of us.

"Honestly, at the end of the first set I kind of couldn't see the ball anymore," said Medvedev. "I kind of played with sensations.

"Just tried to go for it, tried to run, tried to catch the balls and he did the same."

Rublev got