The Russian still has work to do, however. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday August 19, 2022

Daniil Medvedev entered the Western and Southern Open with his No.1 ranking under threat, and having just been served a difficult (and early – tough draw) loss to Nick Kyrgios at Montreal. He had not been to a Masters semifinal all season (but was an Australian open runner-up), and it felt like he was one of many US Open hopefuls on the ATP Tour – not the official alpha dog.

That could be changing this week. Medvedev has passed all tests at the place where made a dramatic run to the title in 2019, with convincing wins over Botic Van de Zandschulp, Denis Shapovalov and Taylor Fritz. He is now locked in as the World No.1, and will be the top seed at the US Open and, best of all, Medvedev is getting better by match.

On Friday he ripped past Taylor Fritz 7-6(1), 6-3 to reach the semifinals, with a vintage Medvedevian performance.

After a classic bend but don’t break first set that saw Medvedev stave off three set points, the Russian clicked into overdrive in the second set, producing the most breathtaking segment of the tournament to break Fritz for 2-0. It was classic Medvedev defense and court coverage; the Russian threw up a miracle lob midpoint, took a deep breath as he watched it soar into the high Ohio sky, then finished off the point to take firm command of the top American.

70% of the earth's surface is covered by water.

The rest is covered by @DaniilMedwed 🌍#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/I3R7UQcXPJ

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 19, 2022

It was the type of performance that makes us remember what we have in Medvedev: one of the most ruthless and polished hard courters in the sport, who just so happens to be the defending US Open champion. With Novak Djokovic’s status uncertain and Rafael Nadal’s form and fitness still in question after his loss to Borna Coric in round one, Medvedev is stepping into the fray as the favorite in New York.

In a city and at a venue he loves and thrives in, his uptick in form couldn’t be happening at a better time.

But there is more to prove in Cincinnati. Medvedev squares off with either John Isner or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semis, and there could be a Carlos Alcaraz or a Felix Auger-Aliassime waiting in the final.

The World No.1’s work is not done yet in Cincinnati, nor is his status as top dog in New York ensured. Stay tuned for a few days, and check back.

The American pulls no punches when asked to give his view on the ATP's new off-court coaching trial. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday August 18, 2022

The ATP’s new coaching regulations have inspired a lot of different opinions from players on tour. The tour now allows coaching from the box during matches, with the decision to continue the trial through the US Open and all the way to the end of the season.

The trial started on July 11, and Taylor Fritz says it hasn’t changed a thing for him. On Wednesday in Cincinnati he called the rule “dumb.”

“I haven't talked to Mike [Russell] and he hasn't talked to me one time since the coaching has become a thing. It's a dumb rule,” he said. When asked to elaborate Fritz said that tennis is, in his mind, an individual sport – a view shared by many peers and pundits.

"Tennis is an individual sport,” he said. “Why are we making it not an individual sport? A huge part of tennis is, in my mind, like as tennis is as much mental as it is physical, and a big part of it is you need to be figuring it out on the court for yourself. You need to be the one figuring it out.

“I think it's ridiculous that you can be mentally not there, not good analytically, not good at kind of working through things and coming up with strategies, and you can have someone tell you what to do. I hate it.”

Medvedev: "I don't mind it"

Russia's Daniil Medvedev was asked to give his thoughts on the subject on Thursday after he reached the quarterfinals at Cincinnati with a win over Denis Shapovalov.

He says he's fine with it, but doesn't think it will make much difference. Sure the coach can talk, but athletes are still out there on an island, solving problems on their own – for most of the times.

"During the match, I don't really see how a coach can help, like in some other sports, you know, there is tactics is so important. Here, I mean, when the tennis match is there, I guess it can be one match out of five where suddenly he's going to be: 'Change your position on return, or, Go more to his backhand,' if he sees it from the outside. So I think it can be a game-changer sometimes."

In a sport where thin margins tilt on the smallest of details, Medvedev is inadvertently admitting that off-court coaching can make a difference.

But not so much, he says.

"In the same time, many matches is, let's say I play Fritz tomorrow, it's our first encounter, still, I know how he plays and he knows how I play. I don't think on-court coaching tomorrow is going to make a huge difference. But in general, I'm okay with it, like I was never against it. It's just that if — I mean, the rule is that if I'm on the side, if I understand it right, he shouldn't do it, like the opponent's coach. That's what they should respect. And if not, I think it's fine."

Aiming for Top-5

Fritz has an opportunity to make his Top-10 debut after Cincinnati, if he can get past Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals on Friday.

The American, currently ranked at 13, one spot shy of his career-high 12, says he is looking past that and aiming for the Top-5.

“It's a huge goal,” he said of the Top-10 on Wednesday, when asked. “Just growing up as a kid, being a top-10 player in the world, it's always something you kind of dream of. It's still a big goal, but I think sometimes when you get really close to reaching these goals, it almost makes you, like, I guess, tighten up a little bit. We have almost re-evaluated. We said, Okay, we are not thinking about top 10 anymore. We are thinking of top 5 now.

“That's just the correct — with that mindset, it will just make it easier to make it into the top 10, I feel.”

The top-ranked American is 35-13 on the season, and has a shot of qualifying for the ATP’s year-end championships in Turin for the first time.

He is currently 10th in the race.