Medvedev survives 5-set grind

MELBOURNE– Two-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev battled past big-serving Hubert Hurkacz on Wednesday to set up a potential Australian Open semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz as Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska’s dream run continued.

Former US Open champion Medvedev came through a gruelling five-setter in sweaty conditions on Rod Laver Arena 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 and will face either second seed Alcaraz or sixth seed Alexander Zverev in the last four.

The Russian world No. 3 was twice pegged back by Polish ninth seed Hurkacz after going a set up but produced the crucial break in the decider to get over the line.

The 27-year-old, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2021 final and Rafael Nadal the following year, said he felt “destroyed” after the contest, which lasted nearly four hours.

“I honestly was feeling it physically at the end of the second set already and I said to stay tough,” he said.

“Fourth set I’m just no more concentration and I have to try my best to do whatever I can.”

In the opening match on center court, 93rd-ranked Yastremska cruised past unseeded Czech Linda Noskova to become just the second women’s qualifier in the Open Era to get so far at the Australian Open.

She broke three times to win 6-3, 6-4 in 78 minutes and set up a clash against unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya or Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen for a place in the final.

Yastremska is the first women’s qualifier to reach the last four at the season-opening Grand Slam since Australia’s Christine Matison in 1978.

“It’s nice to make history, because at that time I wasn’t even born,” she said.

Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen, 21, came from a set down to beat Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya, setting up a semifinal clash against Yastremska.

Known to her fans as “Queen Wen,” she had never progressed beyond the quarterfinals in eight previous Grand Slam appearances but held her nerve to win 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-1.