This US Open like no other is distinguished, above all, by its controversies.
There was the “Benoit Paire affair”, its positive control and its consequences.
There was obviously the exclusion of Novak Djokjovic, at the end of the first set of his round of 16.
An earthquake for the tennis planet.
On the field side, if the women's edition is very good, the men's edition hardly shines with its suspense and epic matches.
Finally for now.
So of course, Borna Coric knocked Stefanos Tsitsipas down in the 3rd round after a huge 4-hour showdown, won 6-7 (2), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4), after saved the trifle of six match points.
So of course, the spectacular Denis Shapovalov made the show, in the huge Arthur-Ashe court, desperately empty, during his 8th won against David Goffin and during his quarter lost in five sets against Carreno-Busta.
But that's about all.
The two top semi-finalists, Alexander Zverev and Carreno-Busta, have not played in matches that will go down in the annals of the tournament.
Thiem and Medvedev in demonstration
And the two other survivors of the last four, Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev flew over the competition.
Favorites for the title, since the exclusion of Djokovic, they have swept their opponents and killed the suspense.
Thiem qualified for the semi-finals by ridiculing, Wednesday, the Australian Alex De Minaur (6-1, 6-2, 6-4).
Author of 43 winning shots (against 17 to his opponent), the Austrian has more than ever made speak his power.
Unmissable Thiem who has just reached the semi-finals of three of the four Grand Slam tournaments.
This Friday, he is aiming for the fourth Major final of his career and the second this year, after that lost at the Australian Open against Djokovic.
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I think when he's at his best, Daniil (Medevedev) is very close to the Big 3."
Dominic thiem
“Reaching the semi-finals under these circumstances is a real satisfaction,” said the Austrian.
I know Daniil well, I think when he is at his best he is very close to the Big 3. He has excellent tennis and is able to maintain his level for four, five or six hours.
I'm going to have a very difficult match against him (…) I often watch him play. ”
Winner 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), of his compatriot and friend Andrey Rublev in the quarter, Medvedev however had to save three set points at 3-6 in the tie- break of the first set to keep his invincibility.
He has not conceded, no round, since the start of the tournament.
“This is the first time this year that I celebrate a victory on the court because physically it would have been hard if I had lost this 3rd set”, confided the Russian, who had a physical alert at the end of the third round. .
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Dominic Thiem has not forgotten the sublime final between Medvedev and Nadal last season (victory in five sets for the Mallorcan).
The Russian had wowed the whole world by pushing him to his limits, he who had never before passed the round of 16 in a Grand Slam.
“As I couldn't see his final live because I was in the midst of“ jet lag ”, I did it on Youtube, breathed the third player in the world.
And I have to admit it was impressive.
And this is I think one of the most beautiful Grand Slam finals I've seen lately.
It was truly an incredible game. ”
It was last summer that Medvedev, now 5th in the world, took a step forward.
During a last breathtaking quarter, the protégé of the French Gilles Cervara thus won his first two Masters 1000 (Cincinnati and Shanghai) and played six finals in a row in as many tournaments with three titles in the process.
Thiem leads 2 to 1 in their head to head
The 27-year-old Austrian leads 2-1 against the 24-year-old Russian.
Thiem won their first encounter in St. Petersburg in 2018 in the last set tie-break.
Less suspense the following year in the Barcelona final with a 6-4, 6-0 correction for the Austrian.
Medvedev took revenge last summer at the Masters 1000 in Toronto, leaving his opponent just four games 6-3, 6-1.
The fourth confrontation between the two men is obviously expected to wake up the men's table of the US Open and bring the viewer out of his torpor.
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