The German Alexander Zverev did not take any chances and made sure to seal the outcome of the meeting against the second player in the world Carlos Alcaraz on his second opportunity, Wednesday, setting the table for a duel against Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the Australian Open tennis tournament.
Zverev, the sixth seed, led by a break in the third set when he missed a chance to end the match. He did not give up on his second opportunity, ultimately winning 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (2) and 6-4.
Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon champion, was the only player to defeat 10-time Australian Open title holder Novak Djokovic in a major tournament last year. He won’t get that opportunity in Australia this time.
It was Zverev’s first victory against a world top 5 player in a Grand Slam, and it allowed him to reach the final four in a major tournament for the seventh time in his career.
“Look, I’m facing one of the best players in the world, especially for two years,” Zverev said. Then when you start winning, then it seems like things fall into place in your head. It’s not always beneficial, but I’m glad I managed it [à battre Alcaraz]. »
Zverev, who took part in a news conference at 3 a.m. local time, said Wednesday’s victory was probably his most important result since returning to action following an ankle injury that kept him out of action. participate in Wimbledon and the US Open in 2022.
“I was at the top of my game before my injury,” he said. I’m extremely happy to be back where I was before [ma blessure] and to be able to win this kind of match, to give myself this kind of opportunity. Because last year… I wasn’t a contender for a major title. »
Alcaraz missed the 2023 Australian Open due to injury and reached the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park for the first time, completing a rare Grand Slam feat.
He had only conceded one set and had spent five hours less on the court than Zverev in their previous four matches.
“I am disappointed with my level of play today, because I was playing good tennis so far,” said the Spaniard. A place in the quarter-finals in a Grand Slam tournament is good. It’s not what I’m looking for, but it’s not bad. »
Earlier in the evening, Medvedev beat Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open for the third time times in four years.
The match, which lasted three hours and 59 minutes, saw several rallies last more than 20 shots. This is a seventh major tournament semi-final for Medvedev.
Medvedev, who won the 2021 U.S. Open and was runner-up on two occasions in Australia, appeared headed for an easy victory as he led 4-2 in the fourth set. Hurkacz, however, had not said his last word, and he caused a final round to take place.
Medvedev won the decisive break in the seventh game of the fifth set, and he then secured the victory with an unstoppable drop shot.
“I’m completely drained right now,” Medvedev admitted, his hands clasped behind his head, during a post-match interview on the field. I was already quite physically tested when the match was pushed into the fifth inning. »
It must be admitted that Medvedev, the third racket in the world, has not had a smooth ride in Melbourne so far. The Russian notably played a match lasting almost four and a half hours which ended in five sets around 4 a.m. local time, and he also admitted that it was at that moment that he started thinking about the flight home.
This thought came back to haunt him against Hurkacz, after he chose to throw away his initial game plan to try anything to destabilize the Pole.
Medvedev notably opted for the audacious serve-volley strategy on certain points, and to advance to the baseline in return of serve – which he practically never does.
The other semi-final is already known, when Djokovic will face Jannik Sinner, fourth in the ranking.
Earlier Wednesday, Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska advanced to her first major singles semi-final after defeating Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4.
Ranked 93e in the world, Yastremska, who went through the qualifications to obtain her place in the main draw of the tournament, won the duel in 78 minutes.
She will face 12th seed Zheng Qinwen in the semi-finals, who came from behind to defeat Russian Anna Kalinskaya 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1 in the evening. Zheng had never made it this far in a Grand Slam tournament. Just like Yastremska.
“I’m very excited. This is a first for me, said Zheng. I’m very happy to be in the semi-finals, especially after such a good performance [contre Kalinskaya]. »
The Ukrainian is only the second player from qualifying to reach the semi-finals of the women’s singles at the Australian Open in the modern era, after Christine Storey in 1978.
“It’s nice to go down in history, because at that time I wasn’t born, I was born in 2000,” Yastremska said. I am very happy, but also very tired. »
Noskova beat favorite Iga Swiatek on her way to the quarter-finals.