Brittainy Newman/The New York Times
Daniil Medvedev drew cheers from the fans at the United States Open on Tuesday. It was the only upset of the day in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The man who intentionally adopted the role of tennis supervillain for two matches emerged as a more sympathetic figure in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
The fans on Tuesday seemed to appreciate how Medvedev fought through a leg injury. They noticed how he shared a smile with his opponent during a replay review, and in the end, they acknowledged his four-set victory over Stan Wawrinka was another feat in a remarkable summer of tennis.