At the 2023 US Open, it is time for the decisive stages of the tournament. On Friday, September 8, the men’s individual semifinal matches will be played. The last to enter the Arthur Ash Stadium pitch will be world number one Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, who currently ranks third in the men’s world rankings.
The 20-year-old from El Palmar is the current American TBS champion, but as of the new week he will lose the title of leader of the ATP ranking, regardless of his performance in the draw for the current tournament. At the same time, Alcaraz continues to show incredible form this season. Carlos is approaching the ultimate showdown with Russia’s first racket on a 12-game win streak in New York and 12 wins in a row at the Helmets. It is worth adding that the Spanish prodigy has won 24 of the last 25 major fights. Note that at the US Open – 2023, the young tennis player lost only one game in the first four matches: this happened in the round of 16 against the British representative Daniel Evans. In matches with the German Köpfer, the South African Harris and the Italian Arnaldi, Alcaras did not allow himself such liberties. The quarterfinal battle with the Tokyo Olympic champion in singles Alexander Zverev did not turn out that way: Alcaraz confidently closed the 26-year-old player from Hamburg with a score of 3-0 in sets and advanced to his fourth semifinal. in TBSh in the last 12 months.
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Carlos Alcaraz’s path to the semifinals of the US Open 2023:
First round. Alcaraz (1) – Köpfer (75) – 6:2, 3:2 / failure; Second round. Alcaraz-Harris (177) – 6:3, 6:1, 7:6; third round. Alcaraz – Evans (28th ranked / 26th ranked) – 6:2, 6:3, 4:6, 6:3; fourth round. Alcaraz-Arnaldi (61) – 6:3, 6:3, 6:4; Quarter finals. Alcaraz – Zverev (12) – 6:3, 6:2, 6:4.
Medvedev moved up the tournament grid much more difficult. The 27-year-old Muscovite, after having not had very good performances in tough tournaments before the start of the last major tournament of the season, is trying to rehabilitate himself in one of the two main competitions on this surface. During the 2023 US Open, Daniil lost two games – this happened in the second and fourth rounds in clashes with Australian representatives Christopher O’Connell and Alex de Minor, respectively. However, the most physically demanding match for the third racket on the planet was the quarterfinal duel with his compatriot Andrei Rublev. The athletes played in 35 degree heat and with the roof of New York’s Central Stadium open, but it was Medvedev who emerged victorious from this battle. Daniil recorded the 28th win of his career at the American Slam: in New York he has 85% of his career wins. Medvedev managed to catch up with another Russian, Marat Safin, in the number of appearances in the semifinals of Grand Slam tournaments; there are now seven of them active from the 2021 US Open champion.
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Daniil Medvedev’s road to the 2023 US Open quarterfinals:
First round. Medvedev (3) – Balazs – 6:1, 6:1, 6:0; Second round. Medvedev-O’Connell (69) – 6:2, 6:2, 6:7, 6:2; third round. Medvedev-Baez (32) – 6:2, 6:2, 7:6; fourth round. Medvedev – from Minor (13) – 2:6, 6:4, 6:1, 6:2; Quarter finals. Medvedev – Rublev (8) – 6:4, 6:3, 6:4.
Head-to-head history
The history of personal encounters between Carlos and Daniel is not the richest. During their career in official tournaments, they only met three times. In addition, the first full-time battle between tennis players took place at Wimbledon 2021. Then Medvedev, who had been at the top for a long time, in three matches faced the still very young Spaniard. This season, Alcaraz took revenge on the Russian for the defeat two years ago. It happened in the “thousand” final in Indian Wells, where the winner of the US Open – 2022 literally knocked his opponent off the court. The last battle between the first and the third racket in the world took place recently: in July 2023, the 20-year-old player from El Palmar, in three games with the same score 6-3 in each, closed Daniil in the Wimbledon semifinals.
History of personal encounters. Alcaraz – Medvedev – 2: 1
#TorneoYearRoundFinalWinnerResult12021WimbledonGrassSecond RoundMedvedev6:4, 6:1, 6:222023Indian WellsDuroFinalAlcaraz6:3, 6:222023WimbledonGrassSemifinalAlcaraz6:3, 6:3, 6:3
new battle
After the Russian derby with Rublev, Medvedev talked about the upcoming fight with the leader of the ATP ranking. “You have to play 11 out of 10 to beat Alcaraz because he is very strong. I think he lost a set in this tournament. Is incredible. In the last two meetings Carlos beat me, let’s say, quite easily. I’m not going to give up and try to improve, but I need to be ready for 11 out of 10 to try to beat Carlos.
He has all the punches and that makes it difficult to play against Carlos. He has extra power. But in tennis you can always beat anyone. There are players who have beaten Novak Djokovic. There are those who beat Rafa Nadal even on clay, which is almost impossible. The same goes for Carlos. Every time I play with him, I try to win,” Medvedev said at a press conference after defeating Andrei Rublev.
The famous Russian also noticed something surprising. He claimed that with many tennis players he can play 97% and they will still find it difficult, but the Spanish prodigy is a completely different player. The national athlete himself highlighted the strength of the blows and the variability of the Spaniard’s technical arsenal, citing as an example a recent winner with a forehand shot at a speed of 160 km/h.
Daniil Medvedev
Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Carlos also gave his comment on the future rival. “In previous matches with Daniil I played perfectly tactically. Everything that had to be done against him I did very well, so I think my game suits well against opponents like Daniil. I will try to do the same thing that I did at Indian Wells or Wimbledon. I hope to win and show the same level as in those matches”, Alcaraz said at a press conference.
The former first racket in the world, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, already in March of this year spoke about the first defeat of the Russian against the Spaniard. The expert highlighted the reasons for his compatriot’s failure in the Indian Wells Masters final, highlighting the weaknesses of the 2021 US Open champion. “I think it was all quite to be expected. Unfortunately, there is no point even in discussing the result – everything is quite clear. The saddest thing is that Danya could not rebuild his game in the final: Alcaraz beat Medvedev. Daniil has his own style, but he can’t switch to another. He had to do something during the match. Why was it stupid to be four meters behind the baseline? It was necessary to neutralize the best qualities of Alcaraz, who went to the net throughout the match”, Kafelnikov said in an interview with the Championship correspondent.
National experts also spoke on the eve of the semifinal of the current first and third racket in the world. Vladimir Kamelzon, the Honored Coach of Russia and Master of Sports of the USSR, believes that his compatriot demonstrates one of the safest performances in Grand Slam tournaments, but to achieve success it is necessary to carefully study the opponent’s game. Kamelzon also highlighted Medvedev’s professional maturity and his ability to work with the public.
“Daniel has nowhere to go; he has to win, and I believe in his victory! Medvedev does not need luck, he must show the ability that he has, ”Vladimir Kamelzon told RT.
Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) President Shamil Tarpishchev advised Medvedev on how to try to neutralize a formidable opponent. According to the official, Daniil will have to try to prevent the Spaniard from breaking the game and not letting him go to the net. One of the factors of the Russian’s success in the upcoming match may also be the coverage of the American “helmet”, which is convenient for the 27-year-old Muscovite.
The next confrontation between the Spanish and the Russian will be a real test of strength for Medvedev. The Spaniard, who has cannon shots and complicated drop shots in his arsenal, almost always achieves his goals. In the next match, the national tennis player should contract sharply and not remain defensive for too long, thus allowing himself to keep his rival on the bottom line. The 2023 US Open semifinals will take place on the night of Friday to Saturday Moscow time, starting no earlier than 2:00 Moscow time. Carlos will try to reach his second final in New York, Daniil, to the third. The battle between the best masters of big business will definitely be hot. You can follow all the events in the “Championship”.
