Russian fends off match point
Medvedev’s big comeback in the marathon match
01/26/2022, 05:21 p.m
Daniil Medvedev is on the verge of quitting the Australian Open several times. But in the end the Russian still triumphs. The marathon match lasted more than four and a half hours before Medvedev defeated Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
US Open winner Daniil Medvedev has averted an impending quarter-final at the Australian Open of tennis professionals. After being 2-0 down and a match point saved, the number two in the world won against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in Melbourne 6-7 (4-7), 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7:5, 6:4. Medvedev thus advanced to the semi-finals and met there the Greek world number four Stefanos Tsitsipas. In the other semi-final match, the 20-time Grand Slam tournament winner Rafael Nadal from Spain plays against the Italian Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini for a place in the final.
In the shadow of Rafael Nadal’s record hunt, Medvedev and world-class Greek player Tsitsipas are fighting for the greatest Grand Slam honor. A good six months after his narrowly lost French Open final, Tsitsipas is now only one win away from contesting his second final at the most famous level in his sport.
While Nadal wants to secure the chance of the 21st Grand Slam title and the associated record against Matteo Berrettini on Friday, a comparatively rested Tsitsipas expects a probably badly worn-out Medvedev. That the second in the world rankings, Medvedev, wore himself out over four and a half hours in his 6: 7 (4: 7), 3: 6, 7: 6 (7: 2), 7: 5, 6: 4 against the Canadian challenger Felix Auger-Aliassime and even had to fend off a match ball in between, Tsitsipas should be very right. “I have no idea,” Medvedev answered in the winner’s interview while still on the pitch when asked how he managed to escape. “I didn’t play my best tennis and Felix played amazingly. I didn’t really know what to do.”
For a long time it had looked as if the bold world ranking ninth Auger-Aliassime would shock the title candidate Medvedev. In the fourth set, Medvedev had to fend off a match point at 4: 5, but still turned the thrilling duel around. He then thought about what the Serbian world number one Novak Djokovic would do in such a situation and tried to make the opponent work hard for victory, said Medvedev.
Tsitsipas had long since disappeared from the Rod Laver Arena. “It’s just the beginning. Let’s do it,” announced Tsitsipas in Melbourne when his semifinals again with the impressive 6: 3, 6: 4, 6: 2 against the Italian talent Jannik Sinner was perfect: “I’m for everything ready.” That is anything but a matter of course, just as it wasn’t his trip to Australia at all. The 23-year-old spoke almost lovingly of his “Doctor Frank” with a smile after his splendid performance. And that the doctor makes it difficult for him to forget the elbow operation, after all he sends him messages regularly.
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“I’m sure my doctor is watching,” said Tsitsipas with a grin when, after his successful quarter-finals, he went to the microphone with his wild, sweaty mane for the winner’s interview: “Neither of us expected me to take part in the Australian Open . It wasn’t part of the plan to play in Australia but I proved him wrong.” Such an injury helps to stay humble, Tsitsipas said: “When things are going well you tend to glorify yourself as if you are untouchable. It’s important in this process to keep your feet on the ground and remember that you are a person who strives for something great.” In November, Tsitsipas had to withdraw from the ATP Finals due to his injury.
Medvedev, who lost the final against Alexander Zverev in Turin, is probably a slight favorite despite his marathon match. After all, the Russian spoiled the great Novak Djokovic, who is known to be absent in Australia, from the Grand Slam triumph last fall by winning the US Open. Against Auger-Alliasime, the second in the world rankings showed incredible morale, the match already seemed lost several times. But in the end, Medvedev, who had been on the pitch for three and a half hours against the American Maxime Cressy the previous round, was jubilant. Tsitsipas faced each other in the same place in the semifinals last year. At that time, the Russian won a completely one-sided match 6: 3, 6: 2, 7: 5 – and then lost in the final against Djokovic.