Daniil Medvedev defeated ninth-ranked Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in Melbourne on Thursday to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals for the third time in four years.
Medvedev stopped Hurkacz’s comeback attempt in a four-hour bout with multiple twenty-shot rallies.
Later in the day, Olympic gold medallist Alexander Zverev or Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz will face Medvedev for a spot in the final.
In the fourth set, Medvedev was up 6-2 and seemed to be in for an easy victory, but Hurkacz forced a match tiebreaker.
After taking the vital break in the seventh game of the fifth, Medvedev triumphed with a drop shot.
With his fists clenched behind his head, Medvedev said, “I’m so destroyed right now,” during his on-court interview. I felt unhappy physically.
The third-ranked Medvedev had a tough time in Melbourne, as shown by his roughly four-and-a-half-hour, five-set second-round encounter that ended at four in the morning and his admission that he was already planning his return flight.
He considered heading home instead of Hurkacz until he decided to deviate from the plan and try to fix things.
This included taking a few dangerous serve-volley strategies and standing near the baseline to receive serves, far closer than his usual deep positioning.
Dayana Yastremska defeated Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4 earlier in the day to reach her first Grand Slam women’s singles semifinal.
In 78 minutes, the 93rd-ranked Ukrainian defeated Zheng Qinwen, ranked 12th, to go to the final four.
The Ukrainian is just the second qualifier to make it to the Australian Open women’s singles quarterfinals since Christine Storey in 1978.
“It’s great to create history because I wasn’t even born yet—I’m 2000 now,” he remarked. “I feel so happy and so tired.”
Noskova beat top-seeded Iga Swiatek 2-1 in the first set to reach her maiden Slam quarterfinal.
However, Yastremska immediately counterattacked, and Noskova never recovered. After breaking again for 5-2, the Ukrainian served out the set. The seventh game of the second set was won with one break.
She said, “I’m really happy to be in my first semifinal.” “I was worn out and nervous. I suppose my feelings prevailed. Before my match today, during my coach’s practice, I lost my temper. My emotions are under my control. A new era has come to an end.
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