Thursday, Jan 27, 2022. 9:23 AM
Don’t miss the Australian Open men’s semi-finals starting at 10:30 p.m. on RDS2 and RDS Direct.
MELBOURNE, Australia – The men’s semi-finals of the Australian Open on Friday have the air of deja vu, but above all a taste of coming back to it: Berrettini will try to reverse the scenario of the half lost to Nadal at the United States Open. United 2019 and Tsitsipas will try to beat Medvedev who blocked him in the semis in Melbourne last year.
between sluggers
The balls will be martyred in the semi-final at the top of the table between two fantastic punchers: Rafael Nadal, 35, and Matteo Berrettini, 25.
He himself did not expect it given the foot injury and COVID he has suffered for the past six months, but Nadal (5th in the world) reached the semis and a record 21st Grand Slam title now becomes a possible objective.
Instead of world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, which the draw had promised him before the Serb was expelled from the country, it is therefore the colossal stature of the Italian (7th) who will stand on the other side. fillet on Friday.
“He has a big serve, a big forehand. It is solid on the important points and in the hot moments. He manages to make winning shots along the line with his backhand slice. He manages to play his best tennis when necessary”: he is a champion that Gaël Monfils described after his defeat against Berrettini in the quarter-finals.
This will be the second meeting between Nadal and Berrettini after the 2019 US Open semi-final, won in three sets by the Spaniard en route to his 19th Grand Slam title.
But since then, the Italian has progressed.
“Matteo has been one of the best players in the world for a while now. He is very solid and I will have to be at 100%, at my best level, if I want to have a chance of reaching the final”, admitted the Spaniard. Always respectful towards his adversaries, this time he is suspicious.
Berrettini, for his part, has the fangs. Last year, he was forced to withdraw before his round of 16 against Tsitsipas due to an abdominal injury.
After having demolished the defenses of his opponents, and in particular Carlos Alcaraz in the 3rd round and Monfils, he is impatiently awaiting his duel with Nadal.
“I watched him so often in tournaments, I encouraged him… So to face him on the Rod Laver in the semi-finals is a kid’s dream. But once I said that, I really want to win this game, and I know I can do it! “warned the Italian.
Medvedev-Tsitsipas, another shock
This same match last year turned quickly in favor of the Russian who won in three sets.
Then the Greek had beaten the Russian in quarters at Roland Garros, also in three sets.
Friday’s duel promises to be high level between two players who are trying to hide a dispute dating from their younger years.
“We haven’t really spoken to each other for the past few months, but our relationship is that of two competitors on the court fighting for the same dream,” commented Tsitsipas.
At 23, he is chasing his first Grand Slam title when the 25-year-old Russian, winner of the 2021 United States Open, seeks to achieve an unprecedented sequence for men in the Open era (since 1968): winning instantly his first two Majors.
In Melbourne this year, the two future opponents had opposite paths: Tsitsipas had a close first round before bursting with strength and serenity in the quarters to dominate Jannik Sinner (10th) in three sets, while Medvedev, after relatively controlled first laps, went to the edge of the abyss in the quarters against Félix Auger-Aliassime who had a match point.
“I thought, ‘What would Novak do? And I decided to make it work. If he wanted to win this match, he would have to pick it up, point by point,” explained the Russian. Doing like the one who holds the record for Melbourne wins (9) proved a winning strategy against Auger-Aliassime and could also be expected against Tsitsipas.
