Carlos Alcaraz beats Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to secure semi-final with Novak Djokovic at ATP Finals in Turin; match will be first meeting between Alcaraz and Djokovic since the final of the Cincinnati Open in August; Medvedev to play Jannik Sinner in second semi-final
Friday 17 November 2023 22:26, UK
Carlos Alcaraz secured a last-four meeting with Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals in Turin with a straight-sets win over Daniil Medvedev.
The Spaniard, 20, won 6-4 6-4 on Friday afternoon and will now face world No 1 Djokovic for the first time since being beaten by him in the final of the Cincinnati Open in August.
Alcaraz lost his opening match of the tournament, going down in three sets to Alexander Zverev, but rallied to beat Andrey Rublev 7-5 6-2 and then overcame the previously undefeated Medvedev to finish top of the Red Group.
Medvedev, the champion in 2020, will face the unbeaten Jannik Sinner in the other semi-final in Italy.
Alcaraz said in his on-court interview: "I think the most important thing that I was to stay strong mentally. There were a few games on my serve that I was struggling a bit.
"His return game is amazing and he puts so much pressure on your serve, so I think to stay calm and stay strong mentally in those moments was the key to give myself a chance to win this match.
"It's one of the most difficult challenges that I'm going to face, facing Novak in this tournament that he has won six times.
"Obviously Novak is Novak, he's the best player in the world right now. I'm going to put my best tennis (out there) and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm excited."
Zverev finished his season by beating Rublev 6-4 6-4 in the late match, with neither player having a chance of advancing.
Rublev saved two match points before ultimately succumbing, falling to a third-straight loss at the tournament without winning a set.
Zverev finished with two wins and one loss, like Alcaraz and Medvedev, but he had the worst set win-loss record of the trio.
Zverev has had off-court issues recently after a German court issued a penalty order against him over allegations he caused bodily harm to a woman. Zverev has disputed the allegations and is contesting the penalty order.
