Australian Open 2021 - 'Incredible' Aslan Karatsev's shock run an 'amazing story' - Tim Henman

Updated 16/02/2021 at 08:44 GMT

World number 114 Aslan Karatsev took the most "amazing story" of the 2021 Australian Open to another level with a shock victory over an injury-hampered Grigor Dimitrov to reach the semi-finals at Melbourne Park. The unseeded Russian told Eurosport's Tim Henman and Mats Wilander how "surprised" he was, while Henman lauded his run.

Russia's Aslan Karatsev celebrates his match point against Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov during their men's singles quarter-final match on day nine of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne

Image credit: Getty Images

Aslan Karatsev continued his incredible run by reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open, and Eurosport expert Tim Henman has hailed his "amazing story".

The Russian qualifier secured a historic 2-6 6-4 6-1 6-2 victory over 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov and made the last-four in improbable fashion.

Remarkably, Karatsev became the first debutant to reach the semi-finals of the men's singles at the Australian Open, and Eurosport expert Tim Henman could not have been more impressed.

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"I saw this coming for a long time," Henman joked sarcastically in the Eurosport Cube as Karatsev's shock run continued.

"It's an amazing story, and you think about the qualifying being played at a different venue in Doha and he was a set-all in the first round.

He has just played incredible tennis and he dealt with some difficult moments. He talked about his nerves; he talked about the heat out there.

"He obviously got a bit of luck with Dimitrov getting injured, but his personality seems very calm and he wants to keep going."

Appearing in the Cube for his post-match interview with Eurosport, the 27-year-old said he would have "just smiled" if he was told pre-tournament about this amazing run.

"Of course, I'm really surprised that I'm here. I'm just going to keep playing each match!"

Dimitrov's back injury was undoubtedly a major factor in the upset, and he was left wandering around Rod Laver Arena listlessly at times in the 30 degrees Celsius heat.

The 29-year-old Bulgarian, who knocked out Dominic Thiem in straight sets in the fourth round, played on after a lengthy medical break at the end of the third set, and Karatsev capitalised.

The Russian will now take on either world number one Novak Djokovic - another star struggling through a persistent injury - or sixth seed Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.