Daniil Medvedev continued to inflict the curse of failing to get past Grand Slam quarter finals on one of his best friends as he made it to the last four of the US Open.

The 2021 champion defeated Andrey Rublev 6-4 6-3 6-4 to set up a match against either Carlos Alcaraz or Alex Zverev.

It meant knocking out Rublev, who is Godfather to his daughter, and it was the ninth time that his opponent has been beaten at the last eight stage of a Major.

With Russians and Belarussians questionably still allowed to compete as neutrals, it was a good day for them as Aryna Sabalenka had earlier got through to the same stage of the women’s event.

‘This and the Tokyo Olympic games were brutal, the only thing is that both of us suffer,’ said Medvedev of the extreme heat and humidity. ‘It was super tough to win. He never gives up but he knows I don’t either.

‘My tennis is ten out of ten now. Every match has been a hell of a fight here,’ added the Russian before rushing off to take a cold shower.

Third seed Medvedev lost the opening three games of the match as Rublev flew out of the blocks. The world number eight won the first eight points and 14 out of the first 15.

But Medvedev quickly grew into the match, winning the first two sets amid some punishing rallies inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Rublev led by a break in the third but was pegged back again, and in a 15-minute final game, Medvedev converted match point at the fifth attempt to wrap up the game in straight sets. 

Luckless Rublev has now made the quarter-final stage in nine grand slams, and he has lost all of them.

Medvedev reached the last eight with a 2-6 6-4 6-1 6-2 victory over Australian Alex de Minaur and set up a meeting with Rublev who won 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 against Briton Jack Draper on Monday. 

He will now face the winner of Carlos Alcaraz vs. Alex Zverev on Friday.