Daniil Medvedev beat Carlos Alcaraz in four sets to reach the 2023 US Open final. After the match, he talked about his previous fixtures against Alcaraz, who had defeated him twice this year before their semi-final. He said he used the same strategy in those games as in his win on Friday.
In their previous clashes at the Indian Wells Masters and Wimbledon, Medvedev had surrendered meekly in straight sets. Alcaraz was a heavy favorite in the build-up to their semi-final clash, but the Russian came out on top. He got his revenge despite using the same game plan from his prior defeats, but he felt the court conditions worked in his favor this time.
Court conditions helped execute same plan as before, says Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev bested defending champion Alcaraz 7-6(3), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, moving one step closer to repeating his 2021 US Open triumph. The latter was tipped to defeat the World No.3, beating him in straight sets in their last two meetings. The two faced off in the 2023 Wimbledon semi-final where Alcaraz swept aside Medvedev, winning three consecutive sets 6-3 each.
A couple of months before, the Spaniard denied the Russian a Masters 1000 title. The two-time Grand Slam winner dominated Medvedev in the final of the Indian Wells Master, winning 6-3, 6-2. Alcaraz was understandably a favorite after such lopsided victories over his rival in their two matches this year.
In his post-match press conference, Medvedev admitted that his gameplan in the US Open semi-final was not different to that of his previous two losses to Alcaraz. A reporter quoted the World No.1 saying that Medvedev’s forehand was faster than his previous matches.
Daniil Medvedev said that he plays quicker and with more aggression at Flushing Meadows, saying that the fast court helps him do so. He touched upon his Indian Wells Masters campaign, saying it was ‘amazing’ he made it to the finals because he was unable to hit properly on that court and Alcaraz exposed him in the final. He said he had a clear plan in his head, same as the Wimbledon and Indian Wells, but those surfaces made it difficult to execute it.
“The thing is that at US Open, and I don’t really know the reason, I tend to play aggressive fast, serve well, probably the speed of the court helps me. For sure I had the plan in my head, but I kind of had the same one in Wimbledon and in Indian Wells. It’s just that the courts were tougher to use it. I mean grass is completely different, just tougher to hit the forehand.”
Medvedev’s plan worked wonders on a favorable surface. He has a great record on hard-court and his game plan suits the surface. He will hope he continues in the same rhythm against Djokovic in the final.
US Open has been Medvedev’s favorite Slam
With the win in the semi-final, Medvedev took his head-to-head against Alcaraz to 2-2. They first squared off in Wimbledon 2021, where a rookie Alcaraz, ranked in the 70s, was sent packing. The duo then next played in the Indian Wells final this year, and the Spaniard got his revenge. Medvedev met him again in the Wimbledon semi-finals and lost. However, the win on Friday has restored parity to the rivalry.
The US Open has always been special for Medvedev. It was in 2019 that the Russian finally announced himself as a serious name to be reckoned after making it to the final in New York. He even went two sets up against Rafael Nadal before letting it slip and losing in five sets. Before that run, Medvedev had never made it beyond the third round of any Slam since turning pro in 2015.
In 2020, he made it to the semis after disappointing showings in the previous Majors of the year. In 2021, he finally laid his hands on the elusive trophy after defeating Djokovic in straight sets. Medvedev has only improved since then and will hope to repeat his feat from two years ago.
