Wimbledon: Medvedev wins five-set epic to set up Alcaraz clash

World number one Alcaraz saw off Holger Rune in straight sets on Wednesday

Read more...
Russia's Daniil Medvedev celebrates winning against US player Christopher Eubanks. — AFP

By Reuters

Published: Wed 12 Jul 2023, 10:07 PM

Third seed Daniil Medvedev curtailed American debutant Christopher Eubanks' extraordinary Wimbledon adventure as he weathered a ferocious storm to come through their quarterfinal 6-4 1-6 4-6 7-6(4) 6-1 on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Russian took the opening set but was blown completely off course for the next two as unseeded Eubanks unleashed a barrage of first-strike tennis that had the Court One crowd roaring its approval.

Medvedev clung on stubbornly, however, and as the fire in the Eubanks racket began to fade he took charge to reach the semi-finals at the grasscourt slam for the first time.

Advertising
Advertising

He will face top seed Carlos Alcaraz for a place in Sunday's final.

"I am just happy to be in the semifinals," Medvedev said on court after winning a fifth-set decider for only the fourth time in his career, having lost 10.

"There was a moment in the match where I completely lost the game itself and he played well, I started to sink, I started to do a lot of mistakes, not serving well enough.

"In the third set I started to build something, not lose it 6-1 again and starting from the tiebreak (in the fourth), I managed to play amazing."

The 27-year-old Eubanks stunned British number one Cameron Norrie and took out fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to the last eight.

His run may be over but the 27-year-old former Georgia Tech student left the court to a huge ovation, making a heart gesture to the fans before disappearing.

Meanwhile, world number one Alcaraz saw off Holger Rune in straight sets on Wednesday to stay on course for a Wimbledon title showdown against defending champion Novak Djokovic.

The top seed won the key moments during the quarterfinal on Centre Court to progress 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-4.

ALSO READ:

Reuters

Published: Wed 12 Jul 2023, 10:07 PM

Recommended for you