Medvedev on course for US Open title showdown

NEW YORK: Russian second seed Daniil Medvedev further cemented his title credentials overcoming qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 to reach his third consecutive US Open semifinal here.

Medvedev will next face 12th seed Canadian Auger-Aliassime, who made his first major semifinal at the US Open after Spanish giant-killer Carlos Alcaraz retired due to an injury trailing 6-3, 3-1.

The Russian, who captured his 200th career win in the first-round victory against Richard Gasquet of France, had not dropped a set before Tuesday.

The world No. 2 played with confidence against van de Zandschulp, firing 36 winners and winning 83 per cent (54/65) of first-serve points as he raised his level in the fourth set to advance after two hours and 22 minutes.

"First two sets he was missing and I was controlling the game," Medevedev said. "But then he started missing less and hit with more power and played more aggressively. The break point he won he hit a forehand winner, so it became a lot tougher for me."

"I am happy with my game in the fourth set because on my first serve, I only lost two points and I always felt under pressure. Then at 6-5 he got a little bit tight, and I managed to do it without the tie-break, which is helpful," Medvedev told atptour.com.

Meanwhile Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz has said that the two high-intensity four-hour five-setters took their toll on his body because of which he was forced to retire from the quarterfinal match against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Auger-Aliassime made his first major semifinal at the US Open after Spanish giant-killer Alcaraz retired due to an undisclosed injury 6-3, 3-1 at the Flushing Meadows.

Alcaraz had made history at this US Open, becoming the tournament's youngest men's quarterfinalist in the Open Era. But the 18-year-old had to retire on Tuesday evening during the second set of his match due to a right adductor injury.

"It's really tough to end a great tournament like this. I had no choice to still play," Alcaraz said. "First of all I have to take care of my body to stay healthy. It's a long match and I didn't feel good to still play, so I had to retire."

Alcaraz battled hard against Auger-Aliassime, but coming into the match off back-to-back five-setters against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Peter Gojowczyk did not help the Spaniard's cause.

"To play two matches [that went to] fifth sets in a row, play on a great level, in a great intensity [for] four hours, it was really tough for me," Alcaraz said. (IANS)

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