Daniil Medvedev says US Open semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz will be like ‘almost impossible’ Rafael Nadal challenge

Daniil Medvedev has compared facing Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open semi-final to the “almost impossible” challenge of trying to beat Rafael Nadal on clay.

Medvedev and Alcaraz will go head-to-head on Friday night for a place in Sunday’s final at Flushing Meadows.

The world No. 3 has already lost to Alcaraz twice this year, with the 20-year-old Spaniard making light work of victories in the Indian Wells final in March and the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

Medvedev’s preference to take up a deep return position makes Alcaraz a tricky opponent for him, as the Spaniard is capable of pulling off audacious drop shots.

If he is to get over his Alcaraz hoodoo, Medvedev admitted he will need to play the perfect game in New York.

“It needs to be 11 out of 10 because yeah, that’s how Carlos is, very strong,” the 27-year-old said. “Even here I think he lost one set but I watch some matches, sometimes on breakpoints he runs for the passing shots. Incredible stuff.

“But if I play Carlos, you know, last two times I lost, let’s call it, pretty easy. I’m someone who fights a lot, so I want to try to be better, and I need to be 11 out of 10 to try to beat him.”

When asked what it is about Alcaraz that makes him such a tough opponent, Medvedev compared the young star to two titans of the game.

“Yeah, I would say what makes him that difficult is just that he has every shot. He has extra power to other players. So it’s true many players probably I would go with 97%, it’s tough for them to hit the ball through me, like I’m always there, always running, always trying to get it back,” he said.

“He can do it just because he has this power, we see it 100 miles [an hour] forehand winner and stuff like this. Some players, even if we try, we cannot do it. So that’s one thing – he’s good from forehand, backhand, he can slice, drop shot. So he has every shot in the game.

“But again, [in] tennis, you can always beat players. People beat Novak [Djokovic]. People even beat Rafa [Nadal] on clay, which is almost impossible but some players do. It’s the same about Carlos.

“Every time I will be playing against him I want to try to win, so I said it one time already, I need to serve better than I did the previous matches. I need to serve on the line if I need to. I need to put my shots on the line and stuff like this. I need to be there 100% of the time and be better.”

The winner of the match will face either world No. 2 Novak Djokovic or American teenage sensation Ben Shelton in Sunday’s final at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.