Canadian Auger-Aliassime suffered a painful 5-round loss to Medvedeville at the Australian Open.

An hour and 14 minutes later, Medvedev had returned from a two-round loss in the Grand Slam for only the second time in his career and was appalled by Auger-Alias ​​’reading 6-7 (4), 3-6. 7-6 (2), 7-5, 6-4.

“You step on the field, you don’t want to regret it,” Auger-Aliassime said after a four-hour, 42-minute quarter-final marathon that ended early Thursday morning in Melbourne. “I can go back and think I wish I had made different choices or I wish Daniil didn’t play as well at certain times. But yeah, it was a good attempt.

– After all, I cannot regret my efforts and the opportunities I gave myself.

VIEW Auger-Aliassime hands over heartache to Medvedev:

Medvedev seeks to oust Auger-Aliassim in epic Australian Open semi-final

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev escaped from two rounds and eliminated Montreal’s Felix Auger-Alias ​​in the 6-7 (4), 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-5, 6-4 Australian Open semi-finals. 4:56

Due to government restrictions imposed by COVID-19, the lion’s share of general public support was somewhat restrained, with the 21-year-old Montreal dominating most of the early stages.

“Of course I would have liked to win. I love to win every time. It’s sad to lose in the end, but that’s the way life is. I just have to accept it,” he said.

The rain delay reverses the pace

Surprisingly unpredictable, Medvedev looked physically ill. Every move he made was followed by a strenuous growl, and he was sweating profusely. The 25-year-old had problems with everything from the crowd, to editorial choices on giant screens, to a moving roof at Rod Laver Arena.

He looked for solutions and found no gaps in Auger-Alias ​​’game.

“I didn’t play my best, and Felix played in an incredible way,” Medvedev said in a post-victory interview. “He served incredibly. He was around me. I didn’t really know what to do.”

And then a little rain changed everything, at least in Medvedeville.

In the Russian feed situation, there was a seven-minute delay in the 2-1 third-round balance ice as a short shower led to the closing of the retractable roof and the field dried with towels by the ball boys.

Medvedev left the field for a moment as Auger-Aliassime sat in his chair muttering to himself.

The Russian returned and won the next five points as well as the third set.

“In the first installment and tiebreak, I sweated hellishly and made a few double mistakes because my hand was really slippery,” said Medvedev, who tried to change his wristbands dry but still didn’t get a good grip. .

“As they closed the roof, I felt the pace change, and I felt like I could get through the ball better.”

When the air conditioning started, the temperature inside the Rod Laver Arena dropped just over 10 degrees. And it helped.

It didn’t rain during the final. But the roof stayed closed.

Small missed opportunities

Auger-Aliassime admitted that there were small moments of opportunity even before this Tebrew that could have taken advantage of giving him a direct victory.

Experienced masters recognize those moments and put the pedal in the metal to finish things off. At the age of 21, Auger-Aliassime is still learning.

However, in the fourth set, which served to stay in the match at 4-5, Medvedev made a double mistake and donated the match ball to the Canadian.

And then he squeezed it at 213 mph at the fastest of the night.

Medvedev tried everything. Even then, Auger-Aliassim had a chance to break in at the start of the fifth installment. But every time the door was a little cracked, Medvedev found a solution, or Auger-Aliassime didn’t get into the play.

“I told myself what Novak would do[Djokovic]to do? ”Medvedev told the Melbourne Crowd when the name of the absent nine-time champion was mentioned.

– It came to my mind because he is one of the greatest champions and Rafa [Nadal]and Roger [Federer], to be honest, “he added.” I’m going to get him to work.

“If he wants to win it, he has to fight for the last point.”

Medvedev changed his return position well behind the Melbourne banner behind the baseline and moved several meters up the field.

He wastes as little time as humanly possible between the feed points a couple of times, he was ready to eat before Judge Damien Dumusois had even started the 25-second feed clock.

He didn’t give his opponent time to prepare for a return, and Auger-Aliassim’s return effectiveness declined.

Medvedev came online much more in a tiebreak and when he was behind.

Suddenly, none of the external distractions bothered him. He no longer looked like he was struggling physically.

Silver lining

For Auger-Aliassim, who had a medical timeout in 2-3 fifth installments to add tape to an already tightly wrapped right ankle, the plan for 2022 is to find a silver lining, whatever it is.

“It simply came to our notice then [Medvedev]is where he is now. He fights, trying to find solutions. He plays well when he needs to, “Auger-Aliassime said.” I think he had just a little more clutch than me, sometimes a little more stable.

“I think it also comes with experience. But I look forward to the next time I can put myself in a situation like that. I think I can cross the line.”

Auger-Aliassime wanted to make it to their second consecutive Grand Slam semi-finals. He made it to the final four of last year’s US Open, where he also lost to potential champion Medvedev.

However, the Montreal has reached at least the semi-finals in his last three Grand Slam tournaments.

Medvedev aims to be the first man of the Open era to win his first two Grand Slam titles in consecutive tournaments. He will face second-placed Stefanos Tsitsipas of the French Open on Friday.

Nadal, who are claiming the men’s record for the 21st major title to draw with Djokovic and Federer, will face Wimbledon’s second-placed Matteo Berrettin in the second semi-final.