Last year, Djokovic inherits Kecmanovic in the first round”>Medvedev lost to Novak Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open, the number 1 is not there due to the well-known corona soap. As number 2 in the world, there lies the chance for the Russian to take his second grand slam title after the US Open last year.
But that favorite role was long gone: the 21-year-old Canadian Auger-Aliassime, number 9, played uninhibitedly and won set 1 and set 2.
Medvedev was lucky that he kept a cool head at the crucial moments and was able to clear as many as 9 breakballs. Including one at 4-5, 30-40 behind his serve in the 4th set. A lightning bolt from a serve further saw Auger-Aliassime’s match chance go up in smoke.
Medvedev forced a 5th set. And he had to get rid of 3 breakballs in the 2nd game. His opponent was momentarily upset and gave up his service: 3-1. In the last game of set 5, Auger-Aliassime captured 2 more breakballs, but he was unable to use them again. After the ball went out, Medvedev qualified for the next round.
In it, the Russian plays against the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, who whirled over the Italian Jannik Sinner in 3 sets. The Russian had a somewhat guilty warning: “Even though I’m in the worst shape of my life, this is a semi-final of a grand slam tournament, so I will give the best of myself.”
Medvedev-Tsitsipas is a re-release of the semi-final in 2021. Then Medvedev won 6-4, 6-2, 7-5. In the second semifinal, Spaniard Rafael Nadal (ATP-5) faces Italian Matteo Berrettini (ATP-7).
