Daniil Medvedev outlasts Karen Khachanov over three sets to reach Miami Open final for first time
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Updated 31/03/2023 at 20:46 GMT
It's been a remarkable run of form for Daniil Medvedev, and in making the Miami Open final by beating Karen Khachanov 7-6(5) 3-6 6-3, he became the first man since 1981 to make five successive finals on the ATP Tour. Medvedev was taken to three sets by an impressive Khachanov, but eventually pulled through and will now face either Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner in Sunday's final.
Highlights as Medvedev beats Khachanov in three sets to reach Miami Open final
Daniil Medvedev fought hard to see off an impressive Karen Khachanov over three sets to reach the Miami Open final for the first time.
It continues a stunning run of form for Medvedev, who - since early February - has reached finals in Rotterdam, Doha, Dubai, Indian Wells and now in Florida, meaning he is the first man to reach five successive finals on the ATP Tour since Ivan Lendl in 1981.
In the Miami showpiece on Sunday, he will play Carlos Alcaraz - who beat him in Indian Wells - or Jannik Sinner for the title.
Speaking afterwards to Amazon Prime about who he would rather face in the final, Medvedev said: "Regarding the head-to-head (which he leads 5-0), Sinner.
"But it's always a new match, no matter who I play.
"If I play Alcaraz I'm going to try to change something, if I play Sinner I know that I have to be at my best, because he's only playing better and better.
"So I'm going to enjoy that match and prepare for the winner."
Medvedev was the heavy favourite coming into the first of the men's semi-finals, but he didn't play like it early on, facing two break points at 15-40 in the opening game.
However some big serves got him out of trouble and he belatedly took the early lead.
Three holds saw the pair move to 2-2, with Khachanov to that point yet to lose a point on serve as he made an assured start to the set.
Matters between the two compatriots were yet to really enliven the Hard Rock Stadium crowd, who were at least enjoying a sunnier outlook after the rains of recent days.
But as the business end of the set approached, Medvedev - 4-3 ahead - brought up multiple break points on the Khachanov serve, converting after another long baseline rally in which Khachanov went long with a backhand.
However there was no lingering on that disappointment from Khachanov, as he landed an immediate break back to close things up again to 4-5.
And he escaped from more danger in his next service game to level things up at 5-5, with Medvedev's radar for once awry as he was made to scurry around the back of the court from Khachanov's increased attacking intent.
Two holds took a tight first to a tie-break, and there was no splitting the pair in the early stages of that either as they shared the first four points.
2-2 became 4-4 as Khachanov continued to hold strong in the baseline exchanges, but a netted forehand saw Medvedev bring up two set points.
The first was saved by some aggressive Khachanov ball-striking, but he couldn't save the next as Medvedev took the opening set after a nip-and-tuck 61 minutes.
One might have assumed, after putting so much into the first set, that Khachanov would fade but not a bit of it as he raced into a 3-0 lead at the start of the second.
Vitally, he saved a break point at 4-1 up and consolidated thereafter to take himself just one game away - on his serve.
And he didn't falter, holding to love as he took the match into a decider.
Matters went on serve in the early part of the decider as the match ticked over two hours.
But out of nowhere in game four, Khachanov coughed up two break points, and a careless backhand drifted long to give Medvedev a 3-1 lead.
Four successive holds put Medvedev on the brink at 5-3, and he served it out clinically - via a remarkable match point involving a Khachanov tweener - to go through to the final.
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