(September 8, 2023) FLUSHING, NY – Third seed and 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev stopped the potential No. 1 versus No. 2 battle for the title when the Russian knocked out defending champion No. 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in the semifinals of the US Open on Friday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I played 12 out of 10,” the 27-year-old Medvedev said in his on-court interview.

“All four sets I played great, but especially — you know, third set I played, let’s call it like this, I said I need to play 11 out of 10, all the three sets I won I managed to do it. In the third set I would say I was maybe 9 1/2, maybe 10 out of 10, and as we saw it was not enough against Carlos,” Medvedev said to media.

“I managed to play well, I managed to serve well, hit some lines in important moments, some great shots.

“Just really happy, but the tournament is not over.”

“I have to be honest, the crowd was absolutely unbelievable today, absolutely unbelievable and I mean it,” Medvedev said. “We had some crazy points, and I felt, let’s call it love to both sides.”

“These kind of matches can happen,” Alcaraz said in his news conference.

“I think I started the match pretty well. It was a close first set.”I think I started the match pretty well. It was a close first set.

“In the tiebreak, you know, after 3-All in the tiebreak, I, let’s say, I lose my mind. I make three or four points without control. I didn’t think. I totally lose my mind on that set, and fighting for 50 minutes and then, you know, for four points lose my mind. It was really tough for me to handle it.”In the tiebreak, you know, after 3-All in the tiebreak, I, let’s say, I lose my mind. I make three or four points without control. I didn’t think. I totally lose my mind on that set, and fighting for 50 minutes and then, you know, for four points lose my mind. It was really tough for me to handle it.

“You know, in the second set I didn’t came back. It was almost in the moon. For me it was tough. Obviously Daniil, he was playing great. You know, it was tough for me to came back, you know, to the match and playing a great game again.”

“He played with more speed in his shots. I think the forehand running, it was great today. Probably with the slice in the previous matches, you know, help me a lot to find my own game, but today I couldn’t.

“So he found great directions with his shots, no mistakes, great serve today. So I think he played his game, but, you know, 10 out of 10, that he say, so he was great today.

“I have to learn about it and find solution in these kind of matches, but he played a great match.”

The next challenge for Medvedev will be taking on the 23-time major winner in Novak Djokovic.

Medvedev beat Djokovic in the 2021 final to stop him from getting the calendar Grand Slam, winning his first major.

“The challenge is that you play a guy that won 23 Grand Slams, and I have only one,” Medvedev said. “When I beat him here, I managed to play better than myself, so I need to do it again. There is no other way.”

More to follow…