Daniil Medvedev is into the semifinals of the Adelaide International and a possible matchup with top-seeded Novak Djokovic. (More Tennis News)
Djokovic was scheduled to play later on Friday in his quarterfinal against Denis Shapovalov.
The runner-up last year to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open, Medvedev defeated fellow Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-3 on Friday. The combined ATP-WTA event is a warmup for this year's Australian Open, where Medvedev will again be a factor.
Djokovic did not play in the Australian Open last year after being barred from the country because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19.
“It's never easy to play your compatriot,” Medvedev said. "I'm happy that I managed to really raise my level, especially in the end of both sets, and really happy to be through to the semis.”
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Medvedev is the 2021 U.S. Open champion, but has lost twice in the finals in Australia — and in 2021 it was against Djokovic.
“For sure I played well last year and I'm playing well right now,” Medvedev said, “To be honest, that's all that matters. In order to win a slam, or be in the final, you have to be at your best for seven matches.”
“I managed to do it once and I was really close last year,” he added. "And that's what I'm going to try to do again in a few weeks in Melbourne.”
In other quarterfinals on Friday, American Sebastian Korda defeated sixth-seeded Jannik Sinner 7-5, 6-1, and Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan beat Alexei Popyrin of Australia. Korda will face Nishioka in the semifinals.
