US Open: Daniil Medvedev advances to first Grand Slam final with win over Grigor Dimitrov
FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. -- With superb defense and clever shotmaking, No. 5 Daniil Medvedev of Russia advanced to his first Grand Slam final Saturday night, taking out Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals of the US Open.
Medvedev, who has more victories (50) this year than any other player, will take on Rafael Nadal, the winner of Saturday night’s second semifinal against Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.
It was a heart-wrenching ending to the dream run of Dimitrov, who beat Roger Federer, a 20-time major champion, in the quarterfinals, an astonishing feat considering Dimitrov’s recent history. Formerly No. 3 in the world, Dimitrov’s ranking has slipped to No. 78, and he came into the Open having lost seven of eight matches. He rediscovered his confidence and game in Queens, though, piling up five straight victories.
The 6-6, 182-pound Medvedev, 23, a man with a scraggly beard and the body of a corn stalk, was the tournament’s leading villain for a couple of rounds, when he was heartily booed for snatching a towel from the hands of a ball person, then flipped off the crowd with his middle finger pressed against his temple. Later he thanked the crowd for booing him, saying he never could’ve won without them, earning him more boos.
He owned his behavior, though – calling himself “an idiot” – and comported himself well in taking down Stan Wawrinka in the quarters, and put on a dazzling show beneath the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium - except from the service line, where he had 10 double faults, and somehow managed to survive them.
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Medvedev broke Dimitrov five times, applying constant pressure on Dimitrov’s service game from beginning to end.
A taut first set ended with the 28-year-old Dimitrov missing a couple of forehands in the tiebreaker. Dimitrov immediately left the court, presumably for a bathroom break, and started the second set much more auspiciously, breaking in Game 1, but Medvedev was undeterred, his diverse, well-angled arsenal proving too much for Dimitrov.
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