Daniil Medvedev stuns Carlos Alcaraz in US Open semi-final to set up final match with Novak Djokovic after hard-fought four-set victory in Queens
- Novak Djokovic advanced to the final with a straight-sets victory earlier Friday
- Daniil Medvedev said he played at a “12 out of 10” level to defeat Carlos Alcaraz.
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Daniil Medvedev surprised No.1 seed Carlos Alcaraz with a phenomenal four-set victory to set up a mouth-watering final against Novak Djokovic.
The Russian number 3 seed kept his composure after Alcaraz tried but failed to fight back from two sets behind.
After winning the third, the Spaniard could not overcome the genius of Medvedev, who needed four match points to win the fourth, eventually winning 7-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 .
Medvedev immediately hit the nail on the head after last year’s champion was knocked out.
Now he has the opportunity to crush Djokovic’s dreams once again at the US Open. Medvedev beat the Serb – and denied him a calendar shot – in the 2021 iteration.
Medvedev kept his composure in the first set to win the tiebreaker 7-6 before winning the second 6-1.
The defending champion was eliminated in stunning fashion despite losing a set before Friday.
Carlos Alcaraz saved three match points but failed to save the fourth in losing on Friday night.
The Russian placed a finger on each ear, in what was apparently a rebuke to the New York crowd.
Alcaraz often tried to liven up the crowd – pointing to his ear on several occasions
Djokovic will look to hang on to Medvedev’s hopes of winning a second US Open title on Sunday
This prevented Djokovic from completing what would have been the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since Rod Laver in 1969.
Medvedev’s third final will take place on Sunday at Flushing Meadows. The Russian admitted to playing a “match of 12 out of 10” to get there.
“To beat him you have to be better than yourself and tonight I did that,” he said of Alcaraz during his post-match on-court interview.
Despite a love-hate relationship with Arthur Ashe’s audience, he said they were “amazing” before adding that a small selection of unruly Alcaraz fans “can go to sleep now”.
Djokovic and Medvedev have played 14 times in their careers, with the 23-time Grand Slam champion leading the head-to-head, 9-5.
Medvedev won his last meeting 6-4 6-4 at the Dubai Tennis Championships in March.
The Serbian sensation has won the previous four, although they have not faced each other in a grand slam since Medvedev’s stunning upset.
