NEW YORK: Daniil Medvedev’s head-to-head against Carlos Alcaraz is an equitable one-two, but in their two meetings this year, on hardcourts in Indian Wells and on grass at Wimbledon, the Russian didn’t just fall short, he was outplayed. How do you solve a problem like Carlitos? Medvedev might well be asking ahead of their US Open semifinals.
The defending champion put out Alexander Zverev in a late-night quarterfinal that italicized his mental heft.
Alcaraz, bright-eyed and luminous smile, summed up the semifinal match-up. “I played a tactical game the last matches against Daniil,” he said, adding, “My game suits pretty well against Daniil.”
Medvedev, who studied mathematics in school in Moscow, put a number to what would be needed off him against Alcaraz. The 2021 champion, whose form coming into the final Grand Slam of the year looked implausible, gave his run into the last-four here full marks.
“I’m playing amazing,” Medvedev said. “Starting from the third set against O’Connell (in the second round), guys have been playing brutally good against me. (Each time) I was like, okay, I’m going to have to be better than I am right now. That’s what I’m really proud of. It’s not easy to come back in the matches, to stay there in tough conditions.”
How would that weigh against Alcaraz?