Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev edged out world number one Jannik Sinner in a grueling five-set battle to reach the Wimbledon semifinals for the second consecutive year on Tuesday.
In a match filled with momentum shifts and high drama, Medvedev triumphed 6-7(9), 6-4, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3 under the Centre Court roof, snapping his five-match losing streak against Sinner. The victory avenged his defeat to the Italian earlier this year at the Australian Open final, where he squandered a two-set lead.
Medvedev, aiming to add to his 2021 U.S. Open title, will face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals, hoping to reverse the heavy loss he suffered against the Spaniard at Wimbledon last year.
“I knew if I wanted to beat Jannik, it needed to be a tough match. He’s not someone you can defeat easily,” Medvedev said after the match. “There were moments when he wasn’t moving well, but he fought hard. At one point, he decided to go full power, and that’s what he did.”
Sinner, who reached the semifinals last year but fell to Novak Djokovic, took the opening set in a tight tiebreak after saving a set point. However, errors began to creep into his game, and after losing the second set due to a sloppy service game, he required medical attention, appearing to feel ill.
“Already this morning I didn’t feel great,” Sinner admitted. “But take nothing away from Daniil. He played very smart. It was not an easy moment, but I tried to fight with what I had today.”
Despite his struggles, Sinner managed to dominate the fourth set, dropping only 12 points, and looked favored heading into the decider. However, Medvedev refocused and secured an early break in the final set, ultimately sealing victory in exactly four hours.
Looking ahead to his clash with Alcaraz, Medvedev said, “I have to serve better. That’s the most important thing on grass. You serve aces, you serve on the line, you’re less in trouble, and you feel better.”
The upcoming semifinal promises to be a thrilling encounter, as Medvedev seeks to continue his quest for a second Grand Slam title and avenge last year’s defeat to Alcaraz.
