Medvedev activates high-risk game, earns Djokovic final reward

The Russian 2021 US Open champion upstages Carlos Alcaraz, sets up another New York summit showdown with the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

In the long-drawn sixth game of the fourth set, Carlos Alcaraz saved a break point with a serve and volley response to Daniil Medvedev’s loopy return to the middle of the court. Medvedev slammed his palm on the forehead in frustration, for it was the kind of play the funky Spaniard fancied against the sturdy Russian returning from way behind the baseline.

Russia's Daniil Medvedev reacts after winning the US Open tennis tournament men's singles semi-finals match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz (AFP)

The next point, in came Alcaraz after his serve again only for Medvedev to this time generate the angle on his return and win the point. Seven deuces on, in came Alcaraz after his serve again only for Medvedev to this time flatten his return, plant it near the toes of Alcaraz and earn the match-sealing break.

Alcaraz, coming off a “perfect tactical game” the last time they battled in the semi-finals of Wimbledon, was outdone by the tactically astute Medvedev in the semi-finals of this US Open.

The 7-6(3), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 result not only gave a timely reminder that Alcaraz, an oft-disguised magician on court, is a mere mortal after all, but also just how lethal Medvedev can be on hard courts. Taking down the defending champion on Friday night, the 2021 US Open winner will now be the man standing between Novak Djokovic and his 24th major on Sunday.

Medvedev walked into Arthur Ashe Stadium with memories of having won all of 14 games across five sets in the two matches against Alcaraz this year. Asked therefore in the pre-match interview about the key to beating the young Spaniard, Medvedev, jokingly, put it thus: “Playing on the lines, serving great, making a lot of winners, and stuff like this.”

Medvedev, literally, did all of that.

After a shaky start, the world No.3 put his tactics to work. The Russian’s return position, which Alcaraz preyed on at Wimbledon and Indian Wells, continued to remain deep. There was, however, greater depth and power behind his flat groundstrokes, especially from the forehand wing from where Alcaraz said he felt more pace than before. It not only made Alcaraz feel rushed, inducing errors, but it also took away his most successful play: drop shots.

Medvedev, 27, said he had a similar plan even at Indian Wells and Wimbledon, but the slower courts of the former didn’t allow him to “hit the ball” while on the grass courts “it’s tougher to hit this forehand”.

The Russian has, over the years, struggled with his footwork on grass but is a far superior mover on hard courts. The four titles on the surface back that but against the hottest property in tennis currently, Medvedev knew he had to crank it up. A “great defender when I’m in my zone”, Medvedev chose aggression in every regard — serve, return, cross-court forehands, down-the-line backhands (check out his breathtaking backhand get on the run at full stretch for the double break in the second set) and, most significantly, his court positioning.

Medvedev came charging towards the net 39 times, 20 times more than in his quarter-final against Andrey Rublev. He may have won 56% of those points, but the intent to dictate was 100%.

“The thing is at the US Open — and I don’t really know the reason — I tend to play aggressive, fast, and serve well. Probably the speed of the court helps me,” Medvedev said. Flying off that court were his serves. Dishing out nine aces to his opponent’s nil, Medvedev won a high 82% points on his first serve. “Against someone like Carlos, you have to serve well. If he’s all over your serve, he is all over you,” he said.

He could’ve yet been all over Medvedev’s second serves, but even there the lanky Russian preferred to err on being savage than safe. In the final game — a sloppy Alcaraz frittered four break points away in it — with Medvedev serving for the match, he double-faulted on his first match point going for essentially another first serve on his second.

“When you go for it (big second serves), there is part luck. But you also take the risk which, if you’re lucky, can pay off,” Medvedev said.

It did for the high-risk, high-reward Russian in the semi-final. Bring some of that into the final against the 23-time Grand Slam champion and Medvedev could have a shot at pulling off a repeat of 2021 (in that US Open final, an out-of-gas Djokovic lost in straight sets). Like Alcaraz realised in Cincinnati, Medvedev knows Djokovic doesn’t take defeats too kindly.

“He’s never the same after...he’s going to be 10 times better than he was that day,” Medvedev said. “And if I want to still beat him, I have to be 10 times better than what I was that day.”