What it Takes To Beat Alcaraz

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, September 6, 2023

NEW YORK—Surviving a bodily take a look at, Daniil Medvedev confirmed coronary heart and grit reaching his fourth US Open semifinal.

Medvedev goals to go full Spinal Tap if he will get a shot at reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz within the semifinals.

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The top-seeded Alcaraz faces Olympic gold-medal champion Alexander Zverev in tonight’s quarterfinal. If Alcaraz prevails he’ll meet Medvedev in a rematch of the Indian Wells last.

The 2021 US Open champion mentioned he’ll should crank his degree as much as 11 to dethrone defending champion Alcaraz ought to they meet on Friday.

“It needs to be 11 out of 10 because yeah, that’s how Carlos is, very strong,” Medvedev mentioned after his 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 quarterfinal conquest of buddy Andrey Rublev. “Even here I think he lost one set but I watch some matches, sometimes on breakpoints he runs for the passing shots. Incredible stuff. So let’s see tonight…

“I’m somebody who fights quite a bit, so I wish to attempt to be higher, and I should be 11 out of 10 to attempt to beat him.”

The third-seeded Medvedev has yet to beat Alcaraz on a hard court. Alcaraz has won two of their three meetings, scoring a 6-3, 6-2 sweep in the Indian Wells final last March then dispatching the Russian 3, 3 and 3 in the Wimbledon semifinals.

The lack of a discernible weakness is Alcaraz’s greatest strength, says Medvedev.

While several champions, including Hall of Famer John McEnroe, point to Alcaraz’s blinding speed as a key to his success, Medvedev points to two essential elements to the Spanish superstar’s success.

1. Alcaraz has an answer from everywhere on the court because he owns every shot.

2. Alcaraz can laser his forehand to speeds even Medvedev struggles to defend.

For those reasons, Medvedev says he must serve his best to beat Alcaraz.

“I’d say what makes him that tough is simply that he has each shot,” Medvedev said of Alcaraz. “He has additional energy to different gamers. So it is true many gamers most likely I’d go along with 97%, it is powerful for them to hit the ball by way of me, like I’m all the time there, all the time operating, all the time attempting to get it again.

“He can do it just because he has this power, we see it 100 mile forehand winner and stuff like this. Some players, even if we try, we cannot do it.

“So that is one factor he is good from forehand, backhand, he can slice, dropshot. So he has each shot within the sport. But once more, tennis, you’ll be able to all the time beat gamers. People beat Novak. People even beat Rafa on clay, which is sort of inconceivable however some gamers do.

“It’s the same about Carlos. Every time I will be playing against him I want to try to win, so I said it one time already, I need to serve better than I did the previous matches.”

Photo credit score: Tim Clayton/Getty