ATP
US Open Men’s Day 10
Daniil Medvedev admitted he ran completely out of energy after winning a heatwave challenge 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 over good friend Andrey Rublev on Wednesday to reach his second semi-final at the US Open.
The massive test of fitness was staged in the 40 Celsius with humidity well over 50 percent.
Medvedev needed to win a 15-minute final game on his fifth match point to go past the godfather of his infant daughter.
The 2021 titleholder here will aim for his second final at Flushing Meadows in a Friday showdown with top seed Carlos Alcaraz, who crushed 2020 finalist Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 with the German taken off-court after the second set to treat an apparent leg problem
The Spanish 20-year-old continued his juggernaut: “I’m feeling really comfortable on this court , I’m showing my best level here.
“I’m feeling good physically and strong mentally.
“I’m ready for a great battle in the semi-finals with Medvedev.”
Alcaraz was untroubled as he fulfilled his seeding with ease to run his record this season to 58-6 match record with six titles with victory in less than two and a half hours.
The fatigued Zverev had competed for four and three-quarter hours in the previous round to put out Yannik Sinner and had little left in the tank against Alcaraz.
He lost on the first of two Alcaraz match points with a return which sailed long.
Medvedev said his win into the final four over Rublev was a huge struggle.
“It was brutal conditions for both of us. we were sweating so much and used a lot of towels.
“I have no skin left on my nose here; it’s red, but it’s not because of the sun…I just saw Andrey in the locker room and his face is very red, and it’s also not because of the sun.
“We left everything out there – and we could have left even more.
“I don’t think I had anything left but if the match would go on I would find something more.
“The question is how far could we go? Maybe over five sets we would struggle a little bit the next day and it would be fine.”
Medvedev said that while he performed to the max against Rublev, facing Alcaraz will require even more.
“I’m someone who fights a lot, so I want to try to be better, and I need to be 11 out of 10 to try to beat him.
“Every time I’m playing him I want to try to win, so I need to serve better than I did the previous matches.
“I need to put my shots on the line and stuff like this. I need to be
there 100 per cent of the time and be better.”
Rublev said his concentration remained totally on the gruelling match while just battling blindly on in the steamy and draining weather conditions.
“I’m not even thinking about my health. I don’t know. In these moments I’m
thinking that I need to fight. It doesn’t matter how tough it is. I mean, the sport is not easy,” the No. 8 said.
“You need to be ready for everything that can happen. In the end, the best players prove they are ready, and that’s why they are the best.”
He added: “The difference today was when he had breakpoints, he almost always (won them).
“Maybe it was only the last game that I was able to save a couple of them. In the rest of the match, he was breaking me.
In the end he was able to save them more than me, and a lot of them with the serve or with the serve and one good shot.
“I was not able to do the same except in the last game.”
Main photo:- US Open New York Day 10 Carlos Alcaraz yells “Vamos” as he wins quarter final match by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
Holger Rune battled past injured Carlos Alcaraz to spoil the Spanish Easter party at the Barcelona Open, with the Dane lifting the trophy 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The pair of 21-year-olds were familiar foes, having played 20 times in juniors before hitting the Tour; Rune won the first 500 series title of his career and his fifth overall.
Alcaraz was treated three times in the second set after an apparent injury to his upper right thigh/groin after duelling hard in the opening set at the Real Club.
The loss will send Alcaraz back to third in the rankings, with Alexander Zverev moving back to second behind Jannik Sinner as a result of winning the Munich title on Sunday.
Rune, a first-round victim last week in Monte Carlo, reversed his clay momentum in Spain, handing Alcaraz a first loss of a set for the week.
The Spanish top seed’s two final shots both clipped the top of the net and fell back as Rune raised his hands in celebration after 97 minutes on court in the Catalan capital.
“This means the world,” the winner said. “I started the match stressed, he was playing big-time tennis.
“I was able to find my rhythm after he broke me (3-2 in the opening set) and I got more into the match.
“The first set was a big battle with a lot of important points. It was super-important to win the set and gain momentum.
“I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune ended with 18 winners while the ailing Alcaraz produced 33 unforced errors. The Dane claimed his 50th match win on clay and levelled his Tour record in the series to 2-2.
Rune said he channeled Novak Djokovic’s Paris Olympic gold medal win from last summer over Alcaraz as he struggled to turn his game around in Barcelona.
“I asked myself what Novak did to win that final. I (realised) that I didn’t need to hit every ball on the line. I need to make him play and hit a lot of balls.”
Rune, who won the elite Paris Bercy Masters 1000 title in 2022, finally began reversing a 13-match loss streak against top five opponents.with his title victory.
Alcaraz may be racing for fitness with the Madrid Masters starting on Wednesday as the ATP ploughs ahead with an unpopular two-week format for Masters tournaments despite growing protest from exhausted players.
Main photo:- Holger Rune celebrates Barcelona win – by ATPTour.com
Alexander Zverev turned 28 on Sunday and awarded himself a third title on his home Munich clay as he beat Ben Shelton 6-2,6-4 to win the ATP event.
The 2017 and 2018 champion here is now threatening Carlos Alcaraz as the pair duel for the world No. 2 position which the Spaniard took over last week after winning Monte Carlo.
Zverev schooled lefthander Shelton in 70 minutes for a second win in their series. The winner becomes the second to hold three Munich titles after countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016).
“I’m enjoying my birthday so far,” Zverev said. “It’s extremely special to win in Germany, the most special thing I can do.
January’s Australian Open finalist added: “It’s definitely a great birthday present, I knew I had to play my best today, conditions were very hot and very fast.They were perfect for me.”
The winner broke three times while never facing a challenge to his serve from Shelton as he claimed a sixth career title at the 500-Tour level.
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev with his “birthday” trophy – by BMW Open/Bitpanda
Alexander Zverev gave fans in Munich what they were after as the top seed rolled into the final of the clay ATP in Bavaria with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 defeat of Fabian Marozsan.
World No. 3 Zverev, who won the titles in 2017 and 2018 needed 91 minutes to advance into a title match with Ben Shelton.
The American earned his spot with a .2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 defeat of Argentine Francisco Cerundolo.
Zverev advanced with nine aces and broke twice in the tidy win over his Hungarian opposition.
“It’s awesome. The entire week has been great. Everybody is really enjoying the weather as well as the new Center Court,” the winner said. .
“I’m enjoying myself and hopefully I will have another great day tomorrow.”
Shelton reached his fourth career final, becoming the first American man to reach a clay final above ATP 250 level since Andre Agassi won the Rome Masters 23 years ago.
“It’s a big win for me. To get a win on clay against a guy like him gives me a lot of confidence,” Shelton.
“I’m really happy and excited to be in a 500-level final in Europe, my second clay-court tournament this season.
“I’ve been playing well this week and I’m not too stressed right now.”
Main photo:-Alexander Zverev winning in front of his home crowd – by ATPTour.com
Sabalenka hoping to turn her luck in Stuttgart
Rune rises to the occasion with defeat of Alcaraz
Zverev grabs a birthday gift with third Munich title
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