Daniil Medvedev played out an entertaining China Open semi-final match with Carlos Alcaraz, but it was the latter who came out on top.
Medevedev named Alcaraz the best player in the world ahead of their semi-final encounter at the China Open.
And Alcaraz certainly lived up to that label, with the second seed beating third seed Medvedev 7-5, 6-3 in 88 minutes.
A roller-coaster first set in Beijing featured five breaks of serve, with the Spaniard then turning on the charm in the second set.
There, however, Medvedev was undoubtedly distracted by a hip injury, for which he twice received treatment.
What Daniil Medvedev said to Carlos Alcaraz after their China Open match
In a reverse of the 2023 China Open, Alcaraz has now made the final, with the Russian falling in the semi-finals.
The latter did, however, manage to see the funny side after his loss, with The Tennis Letter sharing Medvedev’s brief encounter with Alcaraz at the net.
“I told Carlos next match I’m going to paint my hair blond and put ‘Botic’ here (on his shirt),” said Medvedev. “Maybe this can help.”
Carlos Alcaraz aggressive in China Open win over Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev was, of course, referencing Alcaraz’s early US Open exit, with the Spaniard having lost to Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round.
The Dutchman pulled off one of the shocks of the season against his opponent, beating the four-time Grand Slam champion in straight sets in late August.
Medvedev also knows what it feels like to beat Alcaraz at the US Open, having overcome the youngster in the 2023 semi-final.
That win does, however, represent his most recent triumph over the Spanish star, who has now won their last four meetings.
Alcaraz wants to show his aggressive side on the court, and he certainly did on many occasions as he blitzed past Medvedev into the China Open final.
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