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World no. 3 Daniil Medvedev will compete in his eighth Major semi-final in Melbourne, the third in a row since Wimbledon. Daniil worked hard in his quarter-final clash against Hubert Hurkacz, prevailing 7-6, 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in three hours and 59 minutes at Rod Laver Arena.
Thus, he set the semi-final clash against Carlos Alcaraz or Alexander Zverev. Hurkacz fired 16 aces and played better behind the first and second serve. He won eight points more than his opponent, but not the crucial ones. The Pole fired 61 winners and 55 unforced errors, outplaying world no.
3 in that department and still ending on the losing side. Daniil took only 26% of the return points, turning them into four breaks from nine chances. Hubert created 15 break opportunities, converting five and missing his chances for a more favorable result.
The Pole fired almost 60 service winners and the Russian added nearly 50.
Daniil Medvedev defeated Hubert Hurkacz in the Australian Open quarter-final.
Hurkacz forged a massive 22-point gap in the shortest range up to four strokes, with Daniil reducing the gap with a more reliable performance in the most advanced exchanges.
The first set was fluid, bringing a couple of deuces and allowing them to wrap it up in under an hour despite a tie break. Medvedev broke in the encounter’s first game and defended a break point in game two. The Russian held for 3-1 before the Pole pulled the break back at 2-3, returning to the positive side.
There was nothing left for the returners in the rest of the set, arranging a tie break. Daniil clinched a mini-break in the fifth point and won all six points on serve to claim the breaker 7-4. Hubert made a fresh start in the second set, earning a break in the opening game and missing more chances at 2-0.
The Pole dropped one point behind the initial shot in games four, six and eight, and the Russian could not follow that pace.
Hurkacz grabbed another break in game seven and held at love at 5-2, leveling the overall score in style.
As in the opening two sets, the first three games of the third set offered break chances. The Russian scored a break in game two and survived two challenging service games for a 3-0 advantage. Hubert denied three set points on serve in game eight before Daniil wrapped up the set with a hold a few minutes later, opening two sets to one advantage.
Medvedev grabbed a break at the beginning of the fourth set and produced three fine holds for 4-2, moving closer to the finish line. Hurkacz pulled it back in game eight and gained a boost, delivering a late break at 6-5 to force a decider.
They served well in the first half of the fifth set, reaching 3-3 in no time. Daniil secured a crucial break in game seven, moving in front and saving a break point in the next one for a 5-3 advantage. Hubert prolonged the battle with a hold at love in game nine before Daniil emerged at the top with a hold at 30 at 5-4, booking a place in his third Australian Open semi-final.
