Carlos Alcaraz v Daniil Medvedev: US Open men’s semi-final – live

Key events

Show key events only

Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature

First set: Alcaraz 5-4 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Another stress-free hold for Alcaraz, who’s won 20 of 25 points on his racket so far. He finishes it with a five-shot rally that yo-yos Medvedev all over the court before closing it with a forehand volley winner into the open court. Simply masterful.

First set: *Alcaraz 4-4 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

More pressure on Mededev’s serve as Alcaraz pushes it to 30-all with a couple of crisp forehands. But Medvedev follows with a 126mph ace down the middle and a forehand passing shot that Alcaraz can’t return to nail down the hold.

First set: Alcaraz 4-3 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz holds at love, breezing through another service game in roughly two minutes. The youngest No 1 seed in US Open history has gotten 17 of 20 first serves in (85%), converting 13 of 17 first-serve points (76%).

First set: *Alcaraz 3-3 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

Medvedev holds but not before mixing in his fifth double fault of the night. He gotten just 14 of 28 first serves in so far, a 50% clip that he will need to improve if he hopes to topple the world No 1 (for another few days at least).

First set: Alcaraz 3-2 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz’s service games have been as brief as Medvedev’s have been drawn-out and arduous. He breezes through another one and has won 12 of 16 points on his racket so far.

First set: *Alcaraz 2-2 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

Medvedev double-faults for his fourth time already. Those became a huge factor when he was blitzed 6-3, 6-2 by Alcaraz earlier this year at Indian Wells. Alcaraz gets it to 15-40 after hitting a backhand winner at the end of an 18-shot rally, aided by a poor drop shot by the Russian. Two break-point chances for Alcaraz. And Medvedev rattles off four quick to points to erase them both and hold comfortably. A heck of a save from 15-40 down as the third seed passes his first big test.

First set: Alcaraz 2-1 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz breezes to the straightforward hold of serve. He’s gotten 9 of 11 first serves in (82%), a positive early sign.

First set: *Alcaraz 1-1 Medvedev (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz wins the first point of Medvedev’s serve with a gorgeous forehand volley winner at the end of a 10-shot exchange that draws oohs and aahs from the crowd. Medvedev rattles off two quick points but double-faults for 30-all. He responds with a 125mph ace down the middle, but follows that with a second double fault for deuce. It’s touch-and-go over the next few minutes as Alcaraz pushed it to four deuce points without getting to a break, but Medvedev finally able to escape with the hold. Early days, but Medvedev struggled mostly in that service game with points on his second serve (winning only 3 of 7).

First set: Alcaraz 1-0 Medvedev* (*denotes next server)

Carlos wins the first two points behind second serves, but Medvedev wins a couple of points to apply early pressure at 30-all. But Alcraraz holds comfortably from there, capping the game with a sharp forehand to settle a 13-shot rally.

Medvedev and Alcaraz have emerged from the tunnel to robust cheers inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. They meet chair umpire Nico Helwerth at the net for the coin toss. Alcaraz calls heads. It’s tails and Medvedev elects to receive.

Both have taken the baseline to go through their warm-ups and we should be under way in the next three minutes.

Here’s Tumaini Carayol’s match report from today’s first semi-final, where Djokovic won in three sets to equalPhiladelphia’s own Bill Tilden record of 10th US Open final appearances.

Prelude

Hello and welcome to Arthur Ashe Stadium for tonight’s blockbuster semi-final between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev. We’ve got a delicious matchup in store under the roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium between the past two US Open champions for a place in Sunday’s final against Novak Djokovic, who saw off the American upstart Ben Shelton in straight sets earlier today.

The 20-year-old Alcaraz, the top seed who captured his first career major title here last year, has won 24 of his past 25 matches at grand slams dating back to the start of last year’s US Open and is bidding to become the first back-to-back men’s champion at Flushing Meadows since Roger Federer won the last of five titles in a row in 2008. He is also trying to become the first man to win three slams before his 21st birthday since Mats Wilander won the 1982 French Open, the 1983 and 1984 Australian Opens and the 1985 French Open.

Medvedev, the 27-year-old from Russia seeded third, is taking aim at his third US Open final in five years and a fifth overall at grand slam. He’s right at home on the blue hard courts of Queens, having won the 2021 title over Djokovic and given Rafael Nadal everything he could handle in a titanic five-set final here back in 2019. His overall record in New York is 28-5, an .848 win rate that represents his best at any of the majors.

The stadium is filling up and the crowd buzzing for a clash between two of the sport’s true heavyweights. The players should be on court for their warm-ups in about 15 minutes.

Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s a kook back at today’s first men’s semi-final.