Sorteo had provided an eventual duel Djokovic-Nadal in the semifinals. The Serbian was expelled from the country before the start of the tournament.
The men’s semifinals Australian Open tennis, on Friday, have a certain aroma of revenge: Matteo Berrettini will try to surprise Reef Nadal, with whom he lost in the semifinals of the US Open 2019, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will seek to win Daniil Medvedev, who knocked him out in the penultimate round in Melbourne last year.
battle of strongmen
The balls will suffer a true martyrdom in the semifinal of the upper part of the table between Nadal (35 years old) and Berrettini (25 years old).
After overcoming a foot injury and COVID-19, which marked his second half of 2021, Nadal (current world number 5) aspires this weekend to conquer his 21st world title. Grand Slam, which would allow him to leave behind at the top of the list of winners Roger Federer Y Novak Djokovic, with which it is equal to 20.
The raffle of Australian Open had provided an eventual Djokovic-Nadal in the semifinals of this edition. But the Serbian was expelled from the country before the tournament for not being vaccinated against covid-19 and the obstacle that separates the Mallorcan from the final is Berrettini (7th).
“He has a great serve, a great forehand. He’s solid in the big spots and in the hottest moments. He manages to make winners far from the line with his backhand. He manages to play his best tennis when he needs to”, Frenchman Gaël Monfils, victim of the Italian in the quarterfinals, analyzed about Berrettini.
It will be the second confrontation between Nadal and Berrettini, after the semifinal won by the Spaniard in the 2019 US Open. Then Nadal won in three sets and then took what was his 19th Grand Slam, but since then Berrettini has made great progress.
“Matteo has long been one of the best players in the world. It is very solid and I will have to be at 100%, at my best level, if I want to have a chance of reaching the final”, admitted Nadal, showing respect.
Last year, Berrettini was forced to be ruled out before his round of 16 match against Tsitsipas with an abdominal injury.
After demolishing the resistance of Carlos Alcaraz in the third round and de Monfils in the quarterfinals, the Roman tennis player waits impatiently for the pulse against Nadal.
“I have seen him often in tournaments, I have encouraged him… So to face Rod Laver in the semi-finals is a dream come true. But having said that, I want to win that match, and I know I can do it!
One year later
The Medvedev-Tsitsipas already happened in the semifinals of the Australian Open last year, then with victory in three sets by the Russian, who later lost in the final against Djokovic.
Tsitsipas then beat Medvedev in the 2021 Roland Garros quarterfinals, also in three sets.
Friday’s matchup looks very exciting between two of the most talented players on the circuit, who are ranked world number two (Medvedev) and number four (Tsitsipas).
“We haven’t spoken in recent months, but our relationship is that of two competitors on the track fighting for the same dream,” Tsitsipas said.
At 23, the Greek tennis player is pursuing his first Grand Slam title, something the 25-year-old Russian achieved last year at the US Open.
If Medvedev wins the final in Melbourne on Sunday, he will become the first in the ‘Open era’ (since 1968) to win his first two majors in a row.
They have had opposite trajectories this year in Melbourne, with Tsitsipas having a rough early rounds before comfortably dominating the Italian. Jannik Sinner (10th) in the quarterfinals, while Medvedev did not go through any trouble in the first matches, but in the quarterfinals he suffered a lot, having to save a match point before being able to win in five sets at Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (9º). (D)
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