Carlos Alcaraz sees off Daniil Medvedev to reach Vienna Open final

VIENNA - Carlos Alcaraz beat Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) in the semi-finals of the Vienna Open on Oct 31, progressing to the final where he will meet either new world number one Alexander Zverev or Alex de Minaur.

Victory for the seven-time Grand Slam winner extended his unbeaten run at ATP 500-level events this season to 15 matches.

For the defeated Medvedev, it was nonetheless a fruitful week as his fifth consecutive run to at least the last four of a tournament secured the former world number one his spot in the season-ending ATP Finals in November.

Alcaraz edged in front in the fourth game of the first set as he broke the Russian, but Medvedev riposted in the very next game to get the opener back on serve.

And it stayed that way until a double-fault off the 30-year-old’s racquet presented Alcaraz with two set points at 5-4, the first of which he duly converted.

Alcaraz looked to be on the brink of his fifth final of the year when Medvedev dumped a volley into the net, allowing the Spaniard to get 4-2 ahead.

Again the world number five refused to let his head drop, and hit straight back on the Spaniard’s next service game with a break to love.

In the tie-break, both players initially struggled behind their own serve before Alcaraz won five consecutive points to seal his berth in the showpiece match on Nov 1.

Zverev, who will take the injured Jannik Sinner’s place at the top of the men’s rankings on Nov 2, will meet Australian fifth seed De Minaur in the other semi-final. AFP