Sports

Medvedev Defeats Eubanks in Five Sets To Reach Wimbledon Semi-finals

Daniil Medvedev battled back to defeat unseeded Christopher Eubanks in five sets and reach his first Wimbledon semi-final on Wednesday.

The world number three from Russia triumphed 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 and will face either top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz or sixth seed Holger Rune for a place in Sunday’s final.

Former US Open champion Medvedev hit 52 winners compared to Eubanks’ 74 but crucially committed just a meagre 13 unforced errors to his opponent’s 55.

Eubanks, who had shocked fifth-ranked Stefanos Tsistipas in the previous round, was attempting to become just the third man to reach the semi-finals on debut.

However, the 27-year-old’s challenge fizzled out in the final set of a bruising, big-hitting contest.

“After the first set, I didn’t want to go five sets but when I lost the third, I was happy to go five,” said Medvedev who fired 28 aces.

“There were moments in the match when I was losing the game so to say and he was playing well.

“I started to sink and make mistakes but after the third set I started to build something. I had more opportunities in the fourth set and after the tiebreak I played amazing.”

Medvedev was untroubled in the opening set, carving out the only break in the third game before claiming the opener in which he committed just one unforced error to 11 for Eubanks.

However, the American soon found his range with his one-handed backhand, pocketing a double break in the second set before levelling the quarter-final with his seventh ace.

The world number 43 had his tail up and a break in the opening game of the third set was the platform as he moved towards a two sets to one lead.

A frustrated Medvedev was handed a code violation for lobbing a ball that hit a courtside camera operator in the eighth game.

An unreturned serve gave Eubanks the set.

Serve dominated the fourth set as Eubanks passed 100 aces for the tournament but it was the more composed Medvedev who claimed the tiebreaker when the American buried a backhand volley into the net.

Suddenly the spirit seeped out of Eubanks’ all-out attacking game as he slipped to a key double break down in the decider.

Follow us on:

AriseNews

Recent Posts

IPOB Denounces Simon Ekpa As A ‘Destructive Agent’, Clarifies He Was Never A Member Of The Group

IPOB distanced itself from Simon Ekpa, calling him a “destructive agent” who infiltrated and destabilised…

58 mins ago

Biden Calls ICC’s Arrest Warrants For Netanyahu, Gallant ‘Outrageous’

Biden has condemned ICC's arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, calling them "outrageous" amid global…

1 hour ago

Chukwuma Ezeala: Simon Ekpa’s Arrest Won’t Guarantee Peace In Southeast, Government Must Identify His Disciples

Chukwuma Ezeala has said that despite Simon Ekpa’s arrest, identifying his disciples in Southeast Nigeria…

1 hour ago

Federal Government Reinstates Ikechebelu as Acting Vice-Chancellor of UNIZIK

The federal government has reinstated Professor Joseph Ikechebelu as acting Vice-Chancellor of UNIZIK, nullifying Professor…

3 hours ago

Court Of Appeal Nullifies Judgment Blocking Voter Register Release For Rivers LG Polls

Court of Appeal has overturned the Federal High Court ruling barring INEC from releasing voter…

3 hours ago

Kenya Cancels Adani Contracts as US Prosecutors Charge Tycoon with Fraud

Kenya has cancelled airport and energy deals with Adani following US bribery and fraud charges…

4 hours ago