Daniil Medvedev defeated Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in the quarter-final of the Australian Open 2024 at the Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday as the Russian made his way to the semi-final.
Medvedev, world number three, is the runner-up of the Australian Open 2021 and 2022 where he lost to Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal respectively and the Russian is now aiming to clinch his first major in Melbourne.
The 27-year-old played his 100th Grand Slam match where he recorded his 75th win, making way to his eighth overall major semis but has only managed to win it once so far, US Open 2021, beating Djokovic in the final in straight sets.
Throughout the campaign, Medvedev won a game in straight sets only once when he defeated Canada’s Felix Auger Aliassime in the third round, other than that, the 27-year-old played two four and as many five-setters.
Playing against Hurkacz wasn’t easy for the world number three by means as the Pole is one the most tough players and one of the best servers in the game and Medvedev wasn’t shy to admit that he is “destroyed” after another five-set battle today.
“I am so destroyed right now,” he said. “I honestly was feeling it physically at the end of the second set already and I said to stay tough. “Fourth set I’m just no more concentration and I have to try my best to do whatever I can.
“I’m happy that like this I managed to win.”
Medvedev will now take on the winner between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev on January 26 during the men’s singles semi-finals.
The remaining schedule of the Australian Open
January 25: Women’s singles semi-finals
SF1: Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka
SF2: Dayana Yastremska vs Qinwen Zheng
January 26: Men’s singles semi-finals
SF1: Novak Djokovic vs Jannik Sinner
SF2: Daniil Medvedev vs Alexander Zverev
January 27: Women’s singles final
January 28: Men’s singles final