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Vienna Open: Daniil Medvedev sets up Stefanos Tsitsipas semi-final, Holger Rune into Swiss Indoors last four
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Published 27/10/2023 at 18:38 GMT+1
Daniil Medvedev is into the semi-finals of the Vienna Open after a three-set win over compatriot Karen Khachanov, the eighth seed, setting up a mouth-watering semi-final enconuter with Stefanos Tsitsipas, who beat Croatian wildcard Borna Gojo in straight sets. In Basel, Holger Rune, the No. 1 seed, is into the last four after beating Tomas Etcheverry in three sets.
Medvedev overcomes second-set blip to beat Khachanov in Vienna Open quarter-finals
Video credit: SNTV
Daniil Medvedev beat Karen Khachanov 6-3 3-6 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Vienna Open to move a step closer to defending the title he won last year.
In the battle of the Russians in the Austrian capital, the world No. 3 Medvedev proved too strong for his compatriot, despite a second-set blip.
Khachanov, the No. 8 seed, imperiously defeated Roman Safiullin and Jiri Lehecka in his opening rounds, but once paired up with an opponent that could nullify his power with quick movement and deft touches, it felt there was only going to be one winner.
Medvedev, the beaten US Open finalist, took the opening set in 53 minutes, looking comfortable, and not facing a single break point.
The second set was a different story. Medvedev, in control of proceedings, decided to go for a 220km/h serve on Khachanov's first break point of the match, but missed the target and gave his opponent a crucial break.
Normal service was resumed, however, in the decider, as Medvedev raced into a 3-0 lead to seize back the momentum, seeing out the victory in style to record his 63rd win of the year, tying with Carlos Alcaraz, and making his 11th semi-final of the season in the process.
"I’ve had an amazing season," Medvedev said. "If I had played a bit better in the Grand Slams, [maybe] I would have won one. Then it would’ve been by far my best season.
"It’s a little bit tough to say because in one of [the previous] seasons, I won a Grand Slam, but if we don’t talk about Grand Slams then it’s by far my best season. It’s not finished yet, so I want to try and finish it even stronger.”
The No. 1 seed, who fought hard to get past Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16, will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last four.
Tsitsipas, the No. 4 seed, was not at his best, but came through 7-6 7-5 against Croatian wildcard Borna Gojo.
The Greek hit 26 winners and had enough to overcome a stubborn Gojo to reach his sixth tour-level semi-final of the year after an hour and 51 minutes.
Tsitsipas, who had never before been beyond the second round in Vienna, is chasing his second title of 2023 after the world No. 7 won Los Cabos in the summer.
Rune into Basel semi-finals despite hiccup, Auger-Aliassime scrapes through
Holger Rune, the world No. 6, is through to the last four at the Swiss Indoors in Basel after overcoming Tomas Etcheverry in three sets, 6-1 3-6 7-6(6).
The Dane, seeded first in Switzerland, took the first set comfortably, and it seemed as though the 20-year-old would steamroll through his unseeded Argentine counterpart, who beat Andy Murray in three sets in the previous round, but he came unstuck in the second set, with Etcheverry doing well to break up the youngster's flowing rhythm.
Rune, now coached by Boris Becker, claimed his first consecutive win since Wimbledon in controversial fashion at the end of the deciding tie-break. At 6-6, with the match on a knife edge, a Rune forehand clipped the net cord for a winner, prompting Etcheverry to throw his racquet in frustration, before hitting his first double fault of the match to send Rune into the semis.
Rune will play defending champion Felix Auger-Aliassime in the 13th semi-final of his nascent career.
Sixth seed Auger-Aliassime also needed three sets - and two tie-breaks - to overcome Alexander Shevchenko.
The 23-year-old saved match point to eventually get over the line and edge the 83rd-ranked player 7-6(2) 3-6 7-6(1).
Both Auger-Aliassime and Rune are on a three-match win streak heading into the semi-finals.
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