Medvedev Makes 3rd US Open SF; Djokovic, Zverev One Win From Showdown
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After four easy rounds, Daniil Medvedev finally got pushed at the US Open. The 25-year-old Russian won his first 14 sets without anyone getting more than four games but Dutchman Botic Van de Zandshulp changed that.
The 117th-ranked qualifier raised his level in the third and and made of match of it in the fourth. Medvedev was too strong in the end and took it 6-3, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5.
“First of all, really happy to be in the semis again, third time in a row,” Medvedev said. “Couldn’t dream of it maybe four years ago, but now it’s three.
“Tough match. First two sets were kind of under control. He was missing some balls, some important points. So was feeling easy, I should say.
“Then third and fourth set was really tough. He played top level, served really big. Was breaking the rhythm a little bit, so was really tough set. I’m really happy that in the fourth I managed to, first of all, hold my serve really easily and managed to break him in the end where I had few opportunities to do before also.”
In the evening, in a battle of youth Felix Auger-Aliassime was all over Carlos Alcaraz before the Spaniard retired at 6-3, 3-1. After going down 3-1 in the second, the 18-year-old came to the net to shake hands. Alcaraz, who had played consecutive 5-setters, couldn’t go anymore due to a right adductor injury.
Auger-Aliassime becomes the sixth different Canadian to make a Slam semifinal, and he joins compatriot Leylah Fernandez in the last four. And he’s the first man from Canada to make a US Open semifinal.
“The first thing is congratulating Carlos for his fantastic tournament,” Auger-Aliassime said. “I also wish him the best. I feel sorry for him. I was expecting a tough battle, the best from him of course.
“I didn’t see it coming. It’s unfortunate to finish like this. At the same time what he’s done has never been done here in the Open Era. I think he can be very proud of himself, very positive heading back with a head high.
“Myself, the tournament keeps going for me. I’m happy to be through to the semifinals to give myself a shot to play for a Grand Slam final.”
Alcaraz commented on the adductor injury.
“I had no choice to still playing,” he said. “First of all I have to take care of my body, yeah, to still healthy, no? It a long match and, yeah, I didn’t feel good to still playing, so I had to retire.”
On Wednesday, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev are one win from the Friday semifinal showdown.
Zverev will be a big favorite during the day against Lloyd Harris.
“I think he’s somebody that is improving a lot this year,” said Zverev who is 2-0 against the South African. “I think, I have said that to someone, I don’t remember who it was, in the locker room. I said, like, I feel Lloyd has been winning two, three matches every single week, doesn’t matter where he’s playing. He’s showing the high level here again.”
At night, it’s a Wimbledon final rematch between Djokovic and Matteo Berrettini. Djokovic leads 3-0 overall, but in their third straight Slam meeting, the Serb knows the danger of the Italian.
“Hammer of tennis,” Djokovic said. “Next to del Potro, probably the hardest hitter of serve and forehand. He’s got the lethal-serve-plus-one game. He’s already established as a top player. Without a doubt, he played a couple of I think semifinals here couple years ago, finals in Wimbledon. That was a tough four-setter.
“If he serves well, which is his biggest weapon, he’s tough. He’s tough on any surface to play against.”
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