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Daniil Medvedev became the highest seed to fall in the French Open singles after losing to Australia’s Alex de Minaur earlier on Monday.<\/p>\n
The Russian fifth seed, 28, was beaten 4-6 6-2 6-1 6-3 in the fourth round.<\/p>\n
He needed treatment for blisters on his feet in the second set and lost nine of the next 10 games when he returned from a medical timeout.<\/p>\n
The former world number one, who has never gone past the French Open quarter-finals, improved in the fourth set after going off court again.<\/p>\n
But a poor backhand into the net handed over a break point at 3-3, which De Minaur took spectacularly with an inside-out forehand winner that kissed the line.<\/p>\n
De Minaur used his speed around the court superbly to keep points alive throughout and drew mistakes out his frustrated opponent.<\/p>\n
With Medvedev chuntering to his team, De Minaur stayed composed to hold to love and move a game away from victory.<\/p>\n
Medvedev mis-hit a forehand long behind the baseline at 30-30 5-3 and a double fault from the 2021 US Open champion on match point was a sorry way to finish.<\/p>\n
De Minaur is the first Australian man to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.<\/p>\n
Having never previously gone beyond the second round in Paris, De Minaur screamed “I love the clay! <\/b>I love it here!” as he celebrated.<\/p>\n
Throughout the match the 25-year-old was again spurred on by a young super-fan, who he credited for helping him beat Jan-Lennard Struff in the third round.<\/p>\n
De Minaur said he was inspired by seeing the boy enthusiastically cheering every point and tracked him down on social media to invite him to this match.<\/p>\n
The youngster was sat close to De Minaur’s team with a couple of friends, and all three chanted, cheered and celebrated after every point in the Australian’s favour.<\/p>\n
De Minaur said he would invite the fan to his quarter-final match, adding: “I might have to get him on tour week in, week out.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n