November 13th, 2024

Medvedev improves to 6-0 against Auger-Aliassime with semifinal win in Qatar

By The Canadian Press on February 24, 2023.

Russia's Danill Medvedev plays a backhand return to Italy's Matteo Berrettini during their match at the ATP Cup tennis tournament in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. Few obstacles have proven insurmountable to Felix Auger-Aliassime in his young tennis career, but Daniil Medvedev has so far been one of them. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Mark Baker

DOHA, Qatar – Few obstacles have proven insurmountable to Felix Auger-Aliassime in his young tennis career, but Daniil Medvedev has so far been one of them.

The former world No. 1 from Russia downed Montreal’s Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6 (7) in semifinal action Friday at the Qatar Open ATP 250 hard-court tournament.

Medvedev improved his record against Auger-Aliassime to 6-0 with his second victory over the Canadian in as many weeks.

Auger-Aliassime, who came into the tournament ranked No. 9 in the world, had his chances in the match.

After Medvedev scored the first break of the match to go up 5-4 in the first set, Auger-Aliassime responded by taking a 40-15 lead in Game 10. But Medvedev forced Auger-Aliassime into an error and then won a 13-shot rally to erase the break point en route to holding for the set.

Medvedev converted an early break to go up 2-1 in the second set, but a break by Auger-Aliassime tied the set at 3. Both players held the rest of the way to set up the tiebreak.

Auger-Aliassime had two set-point opportunities in the tiebreaker, but Medvedev saved them both before winning the match by converting his first set point on return.

Medvedev also won a matchup between the two in the quarterfinals at last week’s Rotterdam Open, denying Auger-Aliassime his first chance to defend an ATP Tour title.

The Russian will face Andy Murray in Saturday’s final. The British veteran advanced with a 6-0, 3-6, 7-6 (6) win over Czechia’s Jiri Lehecka.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2023.

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