In a gripping encounter on Centre Court, fifth seed Daniil Medvedev overcame world number one Jannik Sinner in a marathon five-set battle to secure his place in the Wimbledon semifinals for the second consecutive year.
The match, which spanned exactly four hours under the Centre Court roof, was a rollercoaster of momentum shifts and intense rallies. Medvedev triumphed with a scoreline of 6-7(9), 6-4, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3, snapping a five-match losing streak against Sinner and avenging his defeat in the Australian Open final earlier this year.
“I knew if I wanted to beat Jannik it needed to be a tough match,” Medvedev stated post-match. “He’s not someone you can beat easily anymore. At one point, I could feel he wasn’t moving well, but it’s tricky because you want to extend the points and make him work harder. But then he started playing full power, and that’s what he did.”
Sinner, who seemed to struggle physically during parts of the match, took a medical timeout after dropping serve early in the third set. “Already this morning I didn’t feel great,” Sinner admitted. “Had some problems. With the fatigue, it was tough. But take nothing away from Daniil. He played very smart, good tennis.”
Despite his condition, Sinner fought back, recovering from a 5-3 deficit in the third set and pushing the match into a tiebreak, which Medvedev ultimately secured with an ace. The Italian dominated the fourth set, leveling the match and setting the stage for a decisive fifth set.
Refocusing his game, Medvedev secured an early break in the final set, which proved decisive as he served out the match to book his spot in the semifinals. “I have to serve better,” Medvedev remarked, looking ahead to his upcoming clash with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. “That’s still the most important thing on grass.”
Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, aims to add another Grand Slam title to his name. His semifinal matchup against Alcaraz promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both players showcasing exceptional form throughout the tournament.
Reference(s):
Medvedev outlasts No. 1 seed Sinner to reach Wimbledon semifinals
cgtn.com
