MIAMI GARDENS, Florida: Daniil Medvedev hasn’t won a title in the United States since capturing the 2021 US Open, when he turned away Novak Djokovic’s bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam.
Now the Miami Open’s No. 4 seed is one victory from a fresh American title, beating fellow Russian Karen Khachanov 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3 in the semifinals Friday, the same day Wimbledon announced Russians will be allowed back — with conditions.
The other men’s semifinal is Friday night between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. If Alcaraz wins, it’ll set up a rematch of the Indian Wells final; Alcaraz beat Medvedev 6-3, 6-2 on March 19.
Also Friday, No. 15 seed Petra Kvitova beat unseeded Sorana Cirstea 7-5, 6-3 in the second women’s semifinal. Kvitova will face the red-hot Elena Rybakina in the final.
Medvedev has won 23 of his last 24 matches — the lone loss to now-world No. 1 Alcaraz — and is in his fifth straight final.
Medvedev has been friends with the 14th-seeded Khachanov since childhood, and they’re each fierce baseliners, with one rally lasting 31 shots.
Medvedev needed a tiebreaker to win the first set, serving it out with the first of 13 aces in the match. Proving a little more consistent in the second set, Khachanov forced a third by breaking Medvedev’s serve early to go up 2-0.
But Medvedev owned the third, surviving an early breakpoint when Khachanov hit a loose backhand into the doubles alley for a rare unforced error.
Medvedev broke Khachanov in the next game to go up 3-1 and a won a wondrous 26-shot rally on match point. Khachanov picked up a drop shot, then retrieved a shot from the baseline between the legs before his friend put away the winner.
In the women’s match, the lefty Kvitova rallied from a 5-3 hole in the first set, facing two set points at 15-40 before willing herself back. She won six straight games in all, taking the first set and going up a break and 2-0 in the second.
Rybakina, who has won 13 straight matches, including the Indian Wells title last week, beat Jessica Pegula in straight sets in a rain-delayed match that ended late Thursday night.
Medvedev, Kvitova win in semis at Miami Open
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Medvedev, Kvitova win in semis at Miami Open
- Medvedev will face the winner of the other semifinal match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
- Kvitova will face the red-hot Elena Rybakina, who Rybakina, who beat Jessica Pegula in straight sets
Sabalenka returns to Brisbane final, faces Kostyuk for title
- In Sunday’s title clash, the Belarusian will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk
- World number one Sabalenka has been in similarly superb form in her first tournament of the season
BRISBANE: Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka outclassed Karolina Muchova to seal a 6-3 6-4 win at the Brisbane International on Saturday and reach the final of the Australian Open tune-up tournament for the third straight year.
In Sunday’s title clash, the Belarusian will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who cruised past world number six Jessica Pegula 6-0 6-3 for her third straight top-10 win after also defeating Amanda Anisimova and Mirra Andreeva in her last two rounds.
World number one Sabalenka has been in similarly superb form in her first tournament of the season, and arrived for her match against Muchova having defeated reigning Melbourne Park champion Madison Keys in straight sets in the quarter-finals.
Things were expected to be trickier against Muchova, who is known for her inventive brand of tennis and had racked up a 3-1 career head-to-head record over Sabalenka, including victories in their previous three meetings.
Sabalenka shrugged off that statistic to take full control of the semifinal clash with a break in the second game, before she displayed deft touches and power from the baseline to take the first set, which she finished with a huge backhand winner.
The four-times Grand Slam champion, who is eyeing her third Australian Open trophy when the tournament begins on January 18 at Melbourne Park, was pushed harder in the next set but edged ahead again at 5-4 to wrap up the win on serve.
“There were a lot of close misses at the end of the second set but I’m super happy to close this match in straight sets,” said Sabalenka, who prevailed on her fourth match point.
“She’s a great opponent and I knew that if I gave her that opportunity in the last games, she would take it, and it would be a bit trickier to play. I’m super happy I got the win.”
Three Americans were in action in the Brisbane men’s event semifinals, where Brandon Nakashima beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6(4) 6-4 before their compatriot Alex Michelsen went down 6-4 6-2 to top seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia.
In the Auckland Classic, Filipino Alexandra Eala squandered a match point to allow China’s Wang Xinyu to secure a 5-7 7-5 6-4 win. Up next for Wang is Elina Svitolina, who beat Iva Jovic 7-6(5) 6-2 in the second semifinal.
Top seed Lorenzo Musetti reached the final of the Hong Kong Open, beating Andrey Rublev 6-7(3) 7-5 6-4 in a last-four clash. Alexander Bublik beat Marcos Giron 3-6 6-4 6-2 in the second semifinal, setting up a title clash with Musetti.
