Medvedev advances to U.S. Open finals seeking Grand Slam sweep
Daniil Medvedev twice was a point from finding himself tied at a set apiece in his U.S. Open semifinal against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The No. 2-seeded Medvedev surged out of that tight spot, beat a mistakeprone Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 on Friday and now is headed to his third Grand Slam final.
All in all, this encounter amounted to an opening act ahead of the headliner: No. 1 Novak Djokovic against No. 4 Alexander Zverev in the second semifinal late Friday night.
Djokovic began the day 26-0 at major tournaments in 2021, with titles at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, and his sights on becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam.
Laver was seated in the President’s Box at Arthur Ashe Stadium for Friday’s matches.
Medvedev, a 25-year-old from Russia, was the runner-up to Djokovic at Melbourne Park in February and to Rafael Nadal at Flushing Meadows in 2019. This was Medvedev’s third consecutive trip to the U.S. Open semifinals.
DOUBLES: Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram won their second Grand Slam men’s doubles title together with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory Friday over Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares in the U.S. Open.
Salisbury will be back out there Saturday in the mixed doubles final. He and partner Desirae Krawczyk, seeded second, beat the team of Americans Jessica Pegula and Austin Krajicek 7-2 (2), 6-4 later Friday.
The women’s doubles final is Sunday, when Coco Gauff and Caty McNally will try to win their first major title.