The Russian pulled off an incredible comeback against the Canadian in a match that went the distance.
Danil Medvedev was pushed to the limit but managed to beat the number nine seed Felix Auger Aliassime in five sets 6-7, 3-6, 7-6, 7-5, 6-4 in four hours and 42 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
“I really don’t know how I was able to win, I was not playing my best, and Felix was playing unbelievable and serving so well and to be honest he was all over me.”
Neither player had an issue holding serve in the first set and it was decided by a tiebreaker which was also tight with the Canadian getting the crucial break at 3-2 as he ended up winning the tiebreak 7-4.
The second set stayed on serve until 3-2 when the Montreal native earned another breakpoint and broke serve with that one break of serve was enough for him to serve out the second set.
The third set was also decided by a tiebreaker and with the world number nine looking to close out the match it started to rain and there was a short delay to close the roof.
Medvedev took full advantage getting the early break in the breaker and won it 7-2 taking the third set and sending the match into a fourth set.
The fourth once again stayed on serve until 5-4 when Auger Aliassime had a matchpoint on the Russian serve but the world number two was able to save it with a big serve.
After holding serve to make it 5-5 the Moscow native managed to break serve and served out the fourth set to send the match into a deciding fifth set.
In the second game of the fifth set after holding serve the Canadian had three more chances to break but was snubbed by the Russian big serve and the following game, Medvedev got the crucial break to take a 2-1 lead.
Auger Aliassime called for the trainer at 3-2 and took a medical timeout to work on his ankle which had been taped before the match and at 4-3 had another chance to break to go back on serve but failed to convert.
At 5-4, the world number nine had two more chances to break serve and stay alive but again was denied by the Russian who was able to serve it out and book his spot in the final four of a grand slam.
After the match, he spoke about finding ways to come back in the match and pulling off the improbable comeback.
“I want to make him work and if he wants to win he has to fight till the last point and it worked and I managed to raise my level during the game especially in the tiebreak and I felt the momentum change after the roof closed.”
Medvedev will now face the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-finals on Friday after he was able to beat the Italian Jannik Sinner in straight sets in a rematch from last year’s semi-final.
