Novak Djokovic to face Medvedev in semis

Adelaide, January 6

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Novak Djokovic beat Denis Shapovalov 6-3 6-4 at the Adelaide International today to set up a semifinal with Daniil Medvedev.

The combined ATP-WTA event is a warm-up for this year’s Australian Open, which the top-seeded Djokovic missed last year after being barred from the country because he was not vaccinated against Covid.

“I don’t think there’s going to be too many short points tomorrow unless we both serve well,” Djokovic said. “Normally when you play Daniil, you have to be ready to go the distance, physically, mentally, game-wise.”

Medvedev, the runner-up last year to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open, defeated fellow Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3 6-3.

“It’s never easy to play your compatriot,” Medvedev said.

In other quarterfinals today, 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.

Teenage qualifier Linda Noskova also beat two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka. The 18-year-old Czech player overcame Azarenka 6-4 6-7(3) 7-6 (6) in a quarterfinal that lasted nearly three hours. Noskova has now won five consecutive matches in only her sixth appearance in the main draw of a WTA event. — AP