Tsitsipas dispatches Medveded, sets semi versus Zverev

PARIS – Daniil Medvedev’s French Open campaign came to an end on Tuesday with an ill-judged underarm serve on match point followed by an impassioned outburst over his eagerly-awaited showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas being played inside an empty stadium.

The colorful world No. 2 was beaten 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 by Greek fifth seed Tsitsipas who will face Germany’s Alexander Zverev for a place in Sunday’s final.

In women’s play, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova outlasted Elena Rybakina, 6-7 (7), 6-2, 9-7, while Tamara Zidansek outfought Paula Badosa, 7-5, 4-6, 8-6, to arrange a semi duel.

Later, Barbora Krejcikova upset No. 24 Coco Gauff, 7-6 (8), 6-3, to also make the Final Four.

It was only Tsitsipas’s second win over Medvedev in eight meetings and it ended in bizarre fashion.

The mercurial Russian decided to serve underarm on match point down.

But as he approached the net, hoping to finish the point with a volley, Tsitsipas merely fired a backhand winner beyond him.

“I was thinking about this during the whole match, like that maybe in the important point I could do it because my opinion was that he was quite far back in the court, so that can always work,” explained the 25-year-old.

“I didn’t see the opportunity before but I thought it’s going to be a good choice to bring him surprise. I sometimes do it on practice.

“Usually guys are a bit surprised. But it didn’t work out at all. I won’t say it was a mistake. It was something that I dared to do and maybe next time I won’t do it knowing that he’s ready.”

Tsitsipas had his own description for the ploy which backfired so badly for his opponent.

“A very millennial shot,” said the Greek, who also made the semifinals in Paris last year where he was beaten by Novak Djokovic.