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Tennis: Zverev shocks Alcaraz to join Medvedev in Australian Open semis

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John WEAVER, Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt=" Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates winning his men" s="" quarterfinal="" match="" against="" Carlos="" Alcaraz="" of="" Spain="" on="" Day="" the="" Australian="" open="" at="" Melbourne="" Park="" in="" January="" Joel="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/sports/01/24/012524_tennis_ao-alexander-zverev_epa.jpg"/><figcaption>Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates winning his men&#x27;s quarterfinal match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain on Day 11 of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, January 25, 2024. Joel Carrett, EPA-EFE.</figcaption></figure></div>MELBOURNE, Australia -- Alexander Zverev snuffed out a thrilling Carlos Alcaraz comeback early Thursday to set up an Australian Open semi-final against Daniil Medvedev as Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska&#x27;s dream run continued in Melbourne.The big-serving German recovered from a major wobble to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 in just over three hours, crushing Alcaraz&#x27;s hopes of a third Grand Slam.Zverev broke at his first opportunity on Rod Laver Arena, dominating the charismatic Spaniard, who could find no answer to his opponent&#x27;s power and precision.The sixth seed served for victory at 5-3 in the third set but the Spaniard somehow broke his opponent and produced some outrageous shots in the tie-break as the crowd erupted.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/23/24/djokovic-gauff-dig-deep-to-make-australian-open-semis">Tennis: Djokovic, Gauff dig deep to make Australian Open semi-finals</a></li></ul>The pair swapped breaks at the beginning of the fourth set but Zverev earned a crucial breakthrough in the ninth game and served it out to reach the semis at Melbourne Park for the second time.Former US Open runner-up Zverev, who reached the semi-finals in Melbourne in 2020, landed 85 percent of his first serves and won 73 percent of points behind his first delivery.&quot;I was playing one of the best players in the world. Over the past two years he has been number one or number two constantly,&quot; said the 26-year-old.&quot;He&#x27;s won two Grand Slams, and when you are up 6-1, 6-3, 5-2, you start thinking.&quot;We are all human. It is a great honour to play against guys like him. When you’re so close to winning your brain starts going and it is not always helpful, but I’m happy that I got there in the end.&quot;<div> - Medvedev digs deep -</div>Earlier, former US Open champion Medvedev came through a grueling five-setter against Hubert Hurkacz in sweaty conditions 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.The Russian world number three was twice pegged back by the Polish ninth seed after going a set up but produced the crucial break in the decider to get over the line.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/22/24/medvedev-into-australian-open-quarters-qualifier-upsets-azarenka">Tennis: Medvedev into Australian Open quarters, qualifier upsets Azarenka</a></li></ul>The 27-year-old, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2021 final and Rafael Nadal the following year, said he felt &quot;destroyed&quot; after the contest, which lasted nearly four hours.&quot;I honestly was feeling it physically at the end of the second set already and I said to stay tough,&quot; he said.&quot;Fourth set I had no more concentration and I had to try my best to do whatever I can.&quot;In the opening match on centre court, 93rd-ranked Yastremska cruised past unseeded Czech Linda Noskova to become just the second women&#x27;s qualifier in the Open Era to get so far at the Australian Open.She broke three times to win 6-3, 6-4 and set up a clash against Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen, who is also gunning for a maiden Grand Slam title.Zheng beat Russia&#x27;s Anna Kalinskaya 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-1.Yastremska is the first women&#x27;s qualifier to reach the last four since Australia&#x27;s Christine Matison in 1978.The 23-year-old wrote a message of support for Ukrainian fighters involved in the war against Russia on a TV camera lens after her win.&quot;I&#x27;m very proud of them,&quot; she said. &quot;They really deserve huge respect. I always try to write something for Ukraine, about Ukraine.&quot;I think it&#x27;s my mission here. If I do well, I can get -- tough to express -- I&#x27;m just trying to give the signal to Ukraine that I&#x27;m really proud of it.&quot;Zheng came from a set down to see off the unseeded Kalinskaya.The 21-year-old, known to her fans as &quot;Queen Wen&quot;, had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in eight previous Grand Slam appearances but held her nerve for the win.&quot;In the first set we had a big competition and the match was really tough for me,&quot; she said.&quot;I just told myself to stay focused, not think anymore about the first set and I&#x27;m so happy right now, like really excited.&quot;© Agence France-Presse<div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hwHKAIUxYjk?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Alexander Zverev snuffed out a thrilling Carlos Alcaraz comeback early Thursday to set up an Australian Open semi-final against Daniil Medvedev.

Tennis: Zverev shocks Alcaraz to join Medvedev in Australian Open semis

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Tennis: Zverev shocks Alcaraz to join Medvedev in Australian Open semis

John WEAVER,

Agence France-Presse

Published January 25, 2024 02:09 AM PHT

Read More:

tennis

Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz

Alexander Zverev

Daniil Medvedev

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