Daniil Medvedev will attempt to extend his winning streak to eight matches in the Rotterdam quarterfinals on Friday.
But to do that, he will have to get past another player on a seven-match winning streak – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Medvedev on Thursday beat Fernando Verdasco 6-2 7-5 to advance to the quarterfinals of the indoor hard-court event, serving-and-volleying on match point to complete victory.
Another day, another W ????
Leading 2019 match-winner @DaniilMedwed gets his 12th victory of the year, beating Verdasco 6-2 7-5 to make the Rotterdam QFs. pic.twitter.com/L1hxnya71c
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 14, 2019
It continued a brilliant run of form for last week’s Sofia champion, who is now 13-2 in 2019 after also reaching the Brisbane International final and the fourth round of the Australian Open in January.
Tsonga, meanwhile, won last week’s ATP tournament in Montpellier and arrived in the last eight in Rotterdam via a 7-6(5) 6-1 win over local wildcard Tallon Griekspoor.
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The French veteran is also enjoying a solid season, having won 11 of his 13 matches so far.
He fell to Medvedev in the semifinals in Brisbane. “Daniil has improved a lot in the last couple of months,” Tsonga said of the world No.16.
“He’s leaving the ball in the court all the time, he’s running after the ball, and he stick to it. So for me it’s gonna be important to be precise on my shots and be able to be aggressive and don’t let him play too much.”
Also advancing to the quarterfinals in Rotterdam was No.1 seed Kei Nishikori, who brushed aside lucky loser Ernests Gulbis – a former world No.10 – 6-1 6-4.
Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, who lost in the Sofia final to Medvedev, posted his second straight ATP quarterfinal with a 7-6(1) 6-1 triumph over ninth seed Nikoloz Basilashvili.
Damir Dzumhur joined them in the last eight following a 6-4 7-6(3) win over Mikhail Kukushkin.
Stan Wawrinka, Denis Shapovalov and Gael Monfils a day earlier cemented their places in the quarterfinals.
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