Medvedev outlasts Hurkacz to move into the final four at Australian Open

Daniil Medvedev, the third seed, faced a grueling battle against Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. In a match that went the distance, Medvedev had to tap into his reserves to secure a hard-fought victory. After a closely contested encounter, with a scoreline of 7-6, 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, Medvedev emerged triumphant and booked his spot in the semi-finals for the third time in his career.

The Russian, a two-time runner-up at Melbourne Park, engaged in a grueling battle with the formidable Pole for nearly four exhausting hours on Rod Laver Arena. Eventually, he secured a spot in the next round, where he will face either Carlos Alcaraz or Alexander Zverev.

Ninth seed Hurkacz, who was competing in only his second Grand Slam quarter-final, had a winning record against Medvedev. Despite twice falling behind in sets, he pushed the Russian to his limits, making him work hard for every single point.

Medvedev, a former US Open champion, displayed his resilience by saving 10 out of 15 break points throughout the match. Despite his grumbling and fatigue, he managed to secure his eighth Grand Slam semi-final appearance with a delicate drop shot on his second match point.

"I'm completely exhausted right now," admitted Medvedev, who had previously played a five-set marathon in the early hours of the morning during the second round.

"In the fourth set... I just told myself to give it my all and see what happens. If I lose, I lose and go home. I'm glad I was able to win in this manner. I really enjoyed that match point."

From the very beginning, both players seemed evenly matched. They displayed solid first serves but struggled on their second serves, resulting in each of them breaking the other's serve once.

Medvedev added some variety to his game by approaching the net and showcasing his volleying skills, which helped him secure the tiebreak. However, Hurkacz came out strong in the second set.

The Pole was rewarded with a series of winners and an early break, while Medvedev had to demonstrate his resilience by battling through four deuces to avoid falling behind 3-0.

Hurkacz began to read Medvedev's serve better in every return game, eventually securing a second break to take a 5-2 lead before comfortably holding his serve to level the match.

In the third set, it was Medvedev's turn to make a strong start. He quickly raced to a 3-0 lead, capitalizing on a double fault from Hurkacz to secure a crucial break.

Although Hurkacz held his serve to prevent losing the set on a third break, Medvedev started hitting winners of his own and went ahead 2-1 with his eighth ace.

In the fourth set, the 27-year-old once again broke to take the lead. However, Hurkacz put up a strong fight and managed to level the score at 4-4 with some impressive gameplay.

Seizing the opportunity, the Pole broke Medvedev once more, bringing the match to an even playing field. With the momentum on his side, Hurkacz headed into the final set, knowing that Medvedev would likely feel the effects of his lengthy second-round match.

Medvedev, however, conserved his energy and patiently waited for the right moment to strike. It came when he brilliantly returned a backhand shot, giving him a chance to level the score at 3-3. He capitalized on this advantage and successfully secured the crucial break.

Although the Russian faced some challenges while holding his serve, including an incredible save by Hurkacz, he remained composed and made no mistakes when serving for the win. With a graceful pose and blowing kisses to his team, Medvedev celebrated his victory after converting his second match point.