It has been a long time since a player with only one previous US Open semi-final to his name could bank on experience in the latter stages of the tournament, but the surreal circumstances of the 2020 edition means Daniil Medvedev can do just that.
The 24-year-old fought off that trio of set-point chances for 10th seed and childhood friend Andrey Rublev in the opening tiebreaker, by reeling off five points in a row, on his way to a 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 7-6 (7-5) victory.
With Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal absent, and Novak Djokovic defaulted in the fourth round, the Medvedev is guaranteed to be only man in the last four at Flushing Meadows this year to have played in a US Open final.
That came last year when he took Nadal to five sets in a thriller at Arthur Ashe Stadium and now only Dominic Thiem stands between the Russian and a return to the title decider.
“Experience plays a big role,” Medvedev told reporters after his win over Rublev in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
“The fact that I was already one time in US Open semi-final helps a lot.
“Same court, same conditions, no crowd. And I think it will help me a little bit.”
After reaching the semis without losing a set, the third-seeded Russian is now some bookmakers’ favourite to claim his maiden grand slam title on Sunday.
However, others now have Austrian second seed Thiem as the man to beat and he justified that billing by dispatching Australian Alex de Minaur 6-1 6-2 6-4 in a night-match clinic on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
After a full throttle performance of beauty mixed with brutality, Thiem served notice that he is finally ready to become a major champion – with none of the semi-finalists having won a grand slam.
In the top half of the draw, German fifth seed Alexander Zverev will battle 20th-seeded Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta for a place in the final.
“I guess it’s somewhere in the back of the heads of all four remaining players,” Thiem, a three-time grand slam finalist, said.
“There may not be Novak, Roger and Rafa but their is Daniil, Sascha (Zverev) and Pablo (Carrena Busta).
“They are three amazing players and everyone of us deserves this first title.
“We will give it all. Once we step on the court we will forget about the other three.”
Medvedev brushed aside concerns over his shoulder after he needed medical attention on it late in the third set against Rublev, saying it was just tiredness and cramp.
He wound up with a 51-23 edge in total winners over Rublev.
“I was making a lot of winners which is amazing when we play with Rublev,” he added.
“That I had more winners than him, it’s something unbelievable for me.”
