It may sound obvious, basic, elementary in tennis and even more so at Wimbledon. And it is. But Daniil Medvedev himself, who was cited this afternoon (14.30, Movistar+) with Carlos Alcaraz in search of a place in the final on Sunday at Wimbledon, insists. What can he do to reverse the script of a year ago on this same stage, same scale, same rival? “I have to play better, that’s all. But what I have to do, above all, is serve better, because that is still the most important thing here. That’s how tennis is on grass,” simplifies the Russian, whose speech is followed by that of his coach, the Frenchman Gilles Cervara, who listens after a session in which the tennis player has insisted on the serve: “If tomorrow I have to play better, I have to serve better, because that is what is most important here. [por este viernes] “If you come to the court without a serve, you have no chance. If you don’t serve well against the best here, and Carlos is one of them, I think it’s like running a race without legs…”
So the Moscow native is clear: serve or nothing. After watching the semi-final played last year in London, he and his team conclude that “among many other details”, the first ball in play is essential. He failed in that sense a year ago, and the price was very high. Definitive, in fact. With discreet averages, mainly with second serves (30%), he drowned in an afternoon in which he could only scratch out nine games, three per set, like a knife to the Spaniard’s return. For this reason, now it is necessary to maintain the good form of these two weeks, in which he has been one of the most outstanding.
In addition to being the sixth most aces In the tournament he has signed – 64 in total, an average of 12.8 – the Russian is the fourth who has retained the most games (91%), behind only Alexander Zverev (97%), Novak Djokovic (96%) and Taylor Fritz (92%) in this section. His effectiveness amounts to 67% and the retention of points with first (76%) and second (56%) reaches considerable parameters. However, he has a handicap with double faults; he has committed 26 in the first five matches, slightly better than Fabio Fognini (32) and Jan-Lennard Struff (27), the most repeat offenders. Alcaraz will surely expose him to constant pressure situations, so any deficit could mean a condemnation similar to that of 2023.
So far, the two have met on six occasions and the Murcian dominates by 4-2. The two times he prevailed – Wimbledon 2021 and the last US Open – Medvedev was forced to reach outstanding averages to escape the bites of his rival on the return, especially with the former; the record rose to 95% on that first occasion in London and 82% in the New York episode. The decline in the rest of the chapters (61%, 70%, 74%, 45% …) deprived him of any chance. In any case, the giant has more than enough quality in the maneuver, differential throughout his career and not so much for the power as for the placement. His unorthodox mechanics – the famous pan blows— it is not an obstacle for it to be able to draw very varied angles, whether in a more curved or flatter format.
The burden of five sets
So, despite the optimism generated by the precedents, Ferrero is wary. The coach still remembers the September response in New York and clarifies: “Medvedev has earned everyone’s respect.” He mentions the victory against Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals – possibly the best performance of the Russian on grass – and demands “maximum caution and concentration” from his player. Meanwhile, Cervara points out that Alcaraz’s match represents “a great challenge” and warns that his player will make a move: “We believe we can achieve it.” “We will try to do something different to disturb Carlos tomorrow and put pressure on him, guide him towards different situations that he doesn’t like.”

The French coach has not forgotten the strong message given by the Spaniard on his way to the semi-final, the ability he has shown to overcome difficulties. “He has had some matches that have taken him to the limit and that shows that he is a very tough opponent, because he finds a solution to come back,” he says, while his player (28 years old and number five) has left behind notable obstacles such as Kovacevic (88th), Müller (102nd), Struff (41st), Dimitrov (10th) and Sinner (1st). A formidable competitor on cement and allergic to clay, Medvedev – the fourth since the new century to beat the number one on three or more occasions in the majors – now aspires to the conquest dreamed of by all, that of La Catedral.
He triumphed three years ago at the US Open, but he missed out on three finals in Australia and he is carrying a heavy burden in a territory that the El Palmar player really enjoys: five sets, 8-10 against. “I don’t think about it too much, I would love to have six Grand Slams, 10 or 26, more than Novak… But I have always done everything I could. I always try to give my best, I believe in myself, in my tennis, so I just hope I don’t regret anything when my career ends,” he concludes, while Alcaraz wants to repeat the final and praises him: “For me, the most difficult thing when facing Daniil, or the most special thing about him, is that he can reach all the balls. He is like a wall, he recovers every ball; I feel that I can make an incredible shot, that he will be there to return it… It is difficult to play thinking about that.” The wall, however, needs an extra for today: to be a cannon.
MUSETTI, A DEBUTANT AGAINST DJOKOVIC
AC | London
After the duel between Alcaraz and Medvedev, Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti will take centre stage. At 37 years and 49 days, the Serbian will officially become the third player over 37 years old to play in the semi-finals of the London tournament since the beginning of the Open Era (1968), after Ken Rosewall (1974) and Roger Federer (2019).
Nole will face a demanding test this afternoon against Lorenzo Musetti, who is making his debut in the penultimate round of a Grand Slam. The 22-year-old Italian has lost five of the six times they have met, but in several encounters the gap was less than it seems. Not long ago, he forced the Balkan player to resort to five sets at Roland Garros.
They have never met on grass and Musetti’s only win came in Monte Carlo last year. The run of play so far has seen him rise from 25th to 16th in the ATP rankings, although he could improve his position if he makes it to the final. Possessing a great one-handed backhand, his slices could be one of the keys to the match.
Another factor to take into account will be the reaction of the public after the disagreement with Nole in the last intervention of the Belgrade player, three nights ago against Holger Rune.
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