ADELAIDE, Jan 6 (AP): Daniil Medvedev is into the semifinals of the Adelaide International and a possible matchup with top-seeded Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic was scheduled to play later on Friday in his quarterfinal against Denis Shapovalov.
The runner-up last year to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open, Medvedev defeated fellow Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-3 on Friday. The combined ATP-WTA event is a warm up for this year’s Australian Open, where Medvedev will again be a factor.
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Djokovic did not play the Australian Open last year after being barred from the country because he was not vaccinated against Covid-19.
“It’s never easy to play your compatriot,” Medvedev said. “I’m happy that I managed to really raise my level, especially in the end of both sets, and really happy to be through to the semis.”
Medvedev is the 2021 U.S. Open champion, but has lost twice in the finals in Australia — and in 2021 it was against Djokovic.
”For sure I played well last year and I’m playing well right now,” Medvedev said, “To be honest, that’s all that matters. In order to win a slam, or be in the final, you have to be at your best for seven matches.”
“I managed to do it once and I was really close last year,” he added. “And that’s what I’m going to try to do again in a few weeks in Melbourne.”
In the other quarterfinals on Friday, American Sebastian Korda defeated sixth-seeded Jannik Sinner 7-5, 6-1, and Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan beat Alexei Popyrin of Australia. Korda will face Nishioka in the semifinals.
In later women’s play, teenage qualifier Linda Noskova beat two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka. The 18-year-old Czech player overcame Azarenka 6-4, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6) in a a quarterfinal that lasted nearly three hours.
A first-round winner over third-seeded Daria Kasatkina, Noskova has now won five consecutive matches in only her sixth appearance in the main draw of a WTA event.
World No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka was the first woman through to the semifinals after beating Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 7-5.
