Carlos Alcaraz v Daniil Medvedev: US Open men’s semi-final – live | US Open Tennis 2023

Second set: *Alcaraz 6-7, 1-4 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

Medvedev holds at love again. He’s won all 12 points on his serve in the second set. His first-serve percentage has climbed from 57% in the first to 67% in the second, while Alcaraz’s has dropped from 83% to 50%.

Second set: Alcaraz 6-7, 1-3 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz quickly goes down 15-40 on his serve, handing Medvedev a pair of break-point chances. What a turnaround! The Spaniard saves the first with a well-placed second serve that Medvedev can’t return, then the second with a forehand volley winner. Deuce. And from there Alcaraz holds with a series of extraordinary points that demonstrate his power, touch and court coverage. It’s enough to stay within contact of the suddenly unplayable Medvedev.

Second set: *Alcaraz 6-7, 0-3 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

Medvedev backs up the break with brio, holding at love and winning a brutal 17-shot rally along the way with a forehand drop-shot winner.

Medvedev breaks in second game of second set!

Second set: Alcaraz 6-7, 0-2 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Medvedev wins the opening point with a sharp forehand that Alcaraz can’t handle and he’s won nine straight points and 12 of the last 15 from the start of the tiebreaker. Alcaraz wins the next two points behind strong first serves but Medvedev pushes it to 30-all then deuce. Moments later Medvedev hits a wicked backhand for his first break-point chance of the night. Medvedev jumps on a second serve with a chip return and Alcaraz tries a drop shot from the baseline … and it catches the top of the net and caroms back toward the Spaniard. Medvedev has taken the first break of the match and the upper hand this second set!

Second set: *Alcaraz 6-7, 0-1 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

Medvedev holds at love to open the second set, punctuating it with a 127mph ace out wide.

Medvedev wins first set, 7-6!

First-set tiebreaker: Alcaraz 3-3 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Both men hold their service points until Alcaraz, serving at 2-all, watches Medvedev strikes a forehand winner. But Medvedev gives the minibreak right back by double faulting on the next point. They’re on serve going into the change of ends.

First set: Alcaraz 6-6 Medvedev

Medvedev holds at love to force a breaker. But it was the second point of the game, during which both men traded volleys at the net, in a sequence that amounted to five highlights in one, that will go down as one of the points of the tournament.

First set: Alcaraz 6-5 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

And now Alcaraz is behind love-15 on his serve for the first time in the match. Alcaraz then dumps a backhand from the baseline into the net for love-30, his sixth unforced error so far (against 12 winners). After a brief break where Medvedev complains about a light shining down from the crowd, a muscular 13-shot baseline rally breaks out which Alcaraz resolves with a sizzling forehand winner. Alcaraz follows with a 128mph body serve that Medvedev can’t get back into the court, then a forehand volley winner for 40-30. From there he grabs the hold with a well-disguised forehand drop shot from the baseline on the third shot of a baseline rally. What a showman! Medvedev will serve to force a first-set tiebreaker after the change of ends.

First set: *Alcaraz 5-5 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

Medvedev opens with a 106mph service winner and a forehand winner at the net. It’s the first time he’s been ahead 30-love on his serve today. From there he hits 108mph unreturnable followed by a 122mph ace out wide to punctuate the hold at love.

First set: Alcaraz 5-4 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Another stress-free hold for Alcaraz, who’s won 20 of 25 points on his racket so far. He finishes it with a five-shot rally that yo-yos Medvedev all over the court before closing it with a forehand volley winner into the open court. Simply masterful.

First set: *Alcaraz 4-4 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

More pressure on Mededev’s serve as Alcaraz pushes it to 30-all with a couple of crisp forehands. But Medvedev follows with a 126mph ace down the middle and a forehand passing shot that Alcaraz can’t return to nail down the hold.

First set: Alcaraz 4-3 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz holds at love, breezing through another service game in roughly two minutes. The youngest No 1 seed in US Open history has gotten 17 of 20 first serves in (85%), converting 13 of 17 first-serve points (76%).

First set: *Alcaraz 3-3 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

Medvedev holds but not before mixing in his fifth double fault of the night. He gotten just 14 of 28 first serves in so far, a 50% clip that he will need to improve if he hopes to topple the world No 1 (for another few days at least).

First set: Alcaraz 3-2 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz’s service games have been as brief as Medvedev’s have been drawn-out and arduous. He breezes through another one and has won 12 of 16 points on his racket so far.

First set: *Alcaraz 2-2 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

Medvedev double-faults for his fourth time already. Those became a huge factor when he was blitzed 6-3, 6-2 by Alcaraz earlier this year at Indian Wells. Alcaraz gets it to 15-40 after hitting a backhand winner at the end of an 18-shot rally, aided by a poor drop shot by the Russian. Two break-point chances for Alcaraz. And Medvedev rattles off four quick to points to erase them both and hold comfortably. A heck of a save from 15-40 down as the third seed passes his first big test.

First set: Alcaraz 2-1 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz breezes to the straightforward hold of serve. He’s gotten 9 of 11 first serves in (82%), a positive early sign.

First set: *Alcaraz 1-1 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz wins the first point of Medvedev’s serve with a gorgeous forehand volley winner at the end of a 10-shot exchange that draws oohs and aahs from the crowd. Medvedev rattles off two quick points but double-faults for 30-all. He responds with a 125mph ace down the middle, but follows that with a second double fault for deuce. It’s touch-and-go over the next few minutes as Alcaraz pushed it to four deuce points without getting to a break, but Medvedev finally able to escape with the hold. Early days, but Medvedev struggled mostly in that service game with points on his second serve (winning only 3 of 7).

First set: Alcaraz 1-0 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Carlos wins the first two points behind second serves, but Medvedev wins a couple of points to apply early pressure at 30-all. But Alcraraz holds comfortably from there, capping the game with a sharp forehand to settle a 13-shot rally.

Medvedev and Alcaraz have emerged from the tunnel to robust cheers inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. They meet chair umpire Nico Helwerth at the net for the coin toss. Alcaraz calls heads. It’s tails and Medvedev elects to receive.

Both have taken the baseline to go through their warm-ups and we should be under way in the next three minutes.

Here’s Tumaini Carayol’s match report from today’s first semi-final, where Djokovic won in three sets to equalPhiladelphia’s own Bill Tilden record of 10th US Open final appearances.

Prelude

Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s a kook back at today’s first men’s semi-final.