Daniil Medvedev has clawed back from two sets down and fought off a match point to complete a colossal comeback victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime – and he then admitted to channelling Novak Djokovic.
Medvedev won his Australian Open quarter-final 6-7 (4-7) 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 6-4 to book a semi-final clash with Greek world No.4 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
In a Rod Laver Arena match that lasted four hours and 42 minutes, rain halted play and forced the roof to be shut, while the two rising stars also fought out a host of thrilling rallies.
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In a performance that US tennis great Jim Courier labelled “one heck of a comeback” on Nine’s Wide World of Sports, Medvedev became the first player of this year’s Australian Open to fight back from two sets down and win.
The Russian world No.2 fought off a match point at 5-4 in the fourth set en route to his Herculean victory.
And when asked by Courier during his on-court interview how he’d managed to pull off the win, Medvedev admitted to channelling the drive of world No.1 Djokovic.
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“I don’t know if people are going to like it, but I told myself, ‘What would Novak do?’,” Medvedev said.
“He’s one of the greatest champions, or Rafa (Nadal) or (Roger Federer), to be honest.
“They’ve won so many matches like this.
“And I just thought, ‘I’m going to make him work’. If he wants to win he needs to fight to the last point … It worked.
“I managed to raise my level.”
Medvedev’s admission that he had channelled Djokovic was met with a chorus of boos from the crowd.
Djokovic was deported from Australia when a federal court backed the cancellation of his visa one day before the Melbourne Park major began, dashing the world No.1’s hopes of winning a record 21st singles grand slam title.
The last man to win the Australian Open after saving a match point at any stage in the tournament was Marat Safin.
The Russian saved a match point in his 2005 semi-final clash with Federer and then defeated Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the final.
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