New York — In the US Open semifinals, Daniil Medvedev had predicted that he would need to play at an extraordinary level to defeat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. After his victory over Alcaraz with a score of 7-6 (3), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, Medvedev proclaimed, “I played even better than I thought, I would rate it 12 out of 10.” With this win, Medvedev has set up a rematch in the final against Novak Djokovic, who defeated Ben Shelton earlier in the day with a score of 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (4).
Medvedev, seeded third, had won his first major championship at Flushing Meadows in 2021 by defeating Djokovic in the final. This victory denied Djokovic the opportunity to achieve the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969. The highly anticipated Djokovic vs. Alcaraz showdown for the title had been the expectation prior to the tournament. The Djokovic-Alcaraz rivalry, with Djokovic at 36 years old and Alcaraz at 20, has captivated the tennis world in recent months.
The match in New York on Sunday would have mirrored the final of the Cincinnati Masters last month, won by Djokovic, as well as the Wimbledon final in July, won by Alcaraz, and the French Open semifinal in June, won by Djokovic. However, Medvedev stood in their way.
Alcaraz, who will concede the No. 1 ranking to Djokovic regardless of the outcome on Sunday, had hoped to become the first man to secure consecutive championships in New York since Roger Federer’s five consecutive wins from 2004 to 2008. Despite his aspirations, Alcaraz admitted, “These kind of matches can happen.”
Instead, Medvedev, a 27-year-old from Russia, will make his third appearance in the US Open final in five years and his fifth major title match overall. His previous final appearances include losses to Rafael Nadal in 2019 and Djokovic in 2021 at the Australian Open.
Looking ahead to facing Djokovic, Medvedev acknowledged the challenge: “You play against a guy who has won 23 Grand Slams, and I have only won one. When I beat him here, I managed to play better than my usual self, so I need to repeat that performance. There is no other way.”
Medvedev’s concern prior to the match stemmed from his previous losses to Alcaraz this season, including in the Wimbledon semifinals. However, he overcame his doubts and defeated the world No. 1 for the sixth time in his career, with only Nadal (23), Djokovic (16), and Andy Murray (12) having more wins over ATP No. 1s among active players. Medvedev has shown exceptional prowess on hard courts, boasting the most match wins (235), final appearances (28), and titles (18) since 2018.
Medvedev’s exceptional serving played a crucial role in his victory, as he saved eight of nine break points and dominated the shorter points in the match. He won 101 out of 174 exchanges that lasted four strokes or fewer. Alcaraz acknowledged Medvedev’s outstanding performance, stating, “He hit his forehand harder than usual,” and noted the Russian’s ability to hit precise passing shots from any position on the court.
A pivotal moment in the match occurred in the opening tiebreaker, where Medvedev won four consecutive points from 3-all, ultimately securing the set. Alcaraz expressed his frustration, saying, “I totally lost my mind.” Although Alcaraz showed resilience in the third set and demonstrated effective net-charging tactics, winning 54 out of 70 points at the net, Medvedev maintained his composure and control throughout the match.
Medvedev faced a challenging game in the fourth set when Alcaraz served down 3-2. The game, lasting nearly 15 minutes, showcased Medvedev’s exceptional returning skills and his ability to reach seemingly impossible shots with his long arms. Despite the crowd attempting to distract him with calls, Medvedev held his nerve and ultimately secured the game, a moment he described as “amazing.”
Reflecting on the distractions from the crowd, Medvedev commented, “That’s not so nice. But I’m happy it didn’t affect my performance. They can go to sleep now.”
When asked how long he would dwell on this loss, Alcaraz replied, “Days? Weeks? I don’t know. I don’t think I’m going to think about this loss for a long time.”
ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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