Zverev on facing Daniil Medvedev for the first time in a Grand Slam: “He’s been kicking my ass a lot over the last year or so.”
MATCH PREVIEW and PREDICTION | 2024 Australian Open Semi-Finals as Daniil MEDVEDEV and Alexander ZVEREV resume storied rivalry (updated)
ATPFriday, 26 January 2024 at 08:21
The second semi-final was set on Wednesday afternoon at the 2024 Australian Open and will take place on Friday morning in the Night Session slot as Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev will continue their storied rivalry albeit for the first time in a Grand Slam.
Our preview will run through the second semi-final with a look at their run so far, head to head and a prediction to round off the run to the semi-final. Who will face Jannik Sinner?
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Zverev topples out-of-sorts Alcaraz and advances despite dark cloud
Alexander Zverev is enjoying his best run since his horrific Roland Garros injury which kept him on the sidelines after one of the greatest moments of his career turned quickly into injury hell against Rafael Nadal. In 2023, he sealed a 20th ATP title and reached the French Open semi-final, but given the tests he has faced throughout in Australia and it not being as successful for him as Paris, it can be deemed as his best run in some time.
He has seen off Dominik Koepfer in four sets 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 before surviving a scare against the unheralded Lukas Klein 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6 and then sped past Alex Michelsen in three sets and Cameron Norrie similarly in close fashion in five sets. But it was the manner in which Zverev took apart Carlos Alcaraz who looked awful and quite ordinary albeit a fair bit of that was his own doing that shocked many as he won 6-1, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 and was 5-2 up in the third for an even more crushing defeat.
Albeit going into this clash, Zverev like he has had all tournament has been under a dark cloud that won't dissipate and that is his impending domestic abuse trial with his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Brenda Patea. Issued a penalty order last year, he now goes to trial after contesting it which will take place during Roland Garros. Shirking English questioning at times an being the subject of conversation in most press conferences outside of his own, the media after lauding Zverev have also started to shine a spotlight which ESPN also running a time-line of events on their coverage.
A previous semi-finalist back in 2020 at the Australian Open, he will aim to make his first Grand Slam final since that year, but if he does it is bound to be continued questioning over praise for the German.
Understated Medvedev defies under the radar tag and Netflix portrayal
Despite being a main protagonist for a long time, Daniil Medvedev albeit snubbed by him has flown semi under the radar during the Australian Open thanks in part to early issues with scheduling and also the questions over Djokovic and Alcaraz. But while Djokovic could feasibly be out by the time Medvedev plays, the former US Open champion still remains.
He has defeated Terence Atmane, Emil Ruusuvuori in a match heavily criticised for its late finish, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Nuno Borges and finally a shaky win over Hubert Hurkacz. He has not had it easy with all but FAA going over three sets and Medvedev spending similar amounts of time on court to Zverev. This could feasibly help the other men's semi-finalist with Sinner in particular if he gets through has not played nearly as much. But Medvedev like the Italian and also Carlos Alcaraz albeit it didn't benefit him at all has not played really since the back end of 2023 so he has gained match practice on the fly and has looked good while he has done it.
Another aspect to also consider concerns his Netflix portrayal which he slammed as he was seen as an after thought as such in the Alexander Zverev episode despite his ranking and stature in the game, he gets the opportunity to write those wrongs on Friday.
Lopsided Head to Head lead for Medvedev
When it comes to the Head to Head though, Medvedev will go into the match as favourite after holding an 11-7 lead and taking many of the recent meetings seemingly having Zverev's number. He won at the ATP Finals, Beijing semi-final, Indian Wells, Rome and Monte-Carlo all last year with Zverev's only win coming in Cincinnati. As Zverev coined that he's been kicking his a** a lot over the last year and that is true and given they didn't play before that since Zverev won the ATP Finals in 2021, it has been very much recent dominance.
Albeit given Sinner's turnaround with his record with Medvedev, it is never set in stone. But for Medvedev, he will go into the tie the more confident of the two.
Prediction: Daniil Medvedev in five sets
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