Medvedev holds off Jarry, sets up Miami semi-final showdown against Sinner

In his entire career, Daniil Medvedev has never won the same tournament twice. He is just two victories away from accomplishing that feat and successfully defending his 2023 Miami Open title after defeating Nicolas Jarry 6-2, 7-6 (7) during semi-final action on Wednesday night.

Medvedev needed one hour and 41 minutes to earn a spot in the final four alongside familiar foe Jannik Sinner on Friday.

“First set I feel like I was playing (at) a good level, but nothing extra,” the Russian said afterward. “It was enough to win, so I was happy about it. Then he managed to play much better. It was tough rallies; tough points. He served better. It was a matter of a few points in the tiebreaker like it sometimes is in tennis. I’m happy that I still managed to win and go through.”

Medvedev manages to silence Chilean crowd

As Medvedev mentioned, Jarry raised his level considerably throughout an entertaining second set. There were zero breaks of serve, after which the Chilean seized a 5-3 lead in the tiebreaker. A raucous, Chilean-heavy crowd was without question ready for a decisive third set, but Medvedev had other ideas. The world No 4 won six of the last eight points to get across the finish line in straight sets.

“To be honest I was ready for it,” Medvedev said of the fans. “I was expecting worse — by worse I mean more Chilean fans supporting him. It was a pretty good atmosphere…. It was not too bad. I’ve seen worse. I felt like there were a lot of people cheering for me — probably not Chilean guys. I felt good on the court.”

SINNER, MEDVEDEV SQUARE OFF FOR ELEVENTH TIME

Friday’s semi-final schedule will mark the 11th meeting between Sinner and Medvedev.

Their already extensive rivalry has basically been a tale of two stories in one. Medvedev once led the head-to-head series 6-0; Sinner has since won four in a row. The Italian’s streak includes a comeback from two sets down in the Australian Open final earlier this season.

“He’s playing better and better,” Medvedev said of Sinner. “He’s confident. Even in some matches where you look on TV he may be a little bit in trouble but he manages to find solutions. That’s what champions do. It’s a great challenge for me to try to improve my game. It’s not going to be easy.”

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