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SPORTS Wednesday 4 september 2019

U.S. Open troll Medvedev tops Wawrinka for 1st Slam SF

By HOWARD FENDRICH (6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on Tuesday na Konta of Britain 6-4, 6-4.
AP Tennis Writer despite 12 double-faults With her boyfriend, Gael
NEW YORK (AP) — The man and a body that’s just short Monfils, watching in the
the U.S. Open crowds love of breaking down. stands, a day before he
to hate, Daniil Medvedev, Asked how he’d describe plays his quarterfinal, Svito-
thought he might need to his relationship with the lina got to the semifinals at
quit early in the first set of his fans in New York, who a second consecutive ma-
quarterfinal after pulling a jeered him when he was jor tournament after never
muscle in his upper left leg. introduced in Arthur Ashe having been that far be-
His opponent, three-time Stadium but offered cheers fore. “Now,” Svitolina joked
major champion Stan later, Medvedev replied: “I about Monfils, “he needs to
Wawrinka, never believed have two words. First one, step up his game.”
Medvedev would stop. for sure, ‘electric,’ because She now meets Serena Wil-
Wawrinka was right. And it’s electric. And second liams or No. 18 Wang Qiang
now the No. 5-seeded one, ‘controversy.’” of China, whose quarterfi-
Medvedev, the best player “So many people like my nal was Tuesday night. Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, reacts after defeating Johanna Konta,
on the men’s tour on hard interviews. So many people Medvedev began the of the United Kingdom, during the quarterfinals of the US Open
courts in recent weeks, is don’t like me,” he said with match with strips of black tennis championships Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019, in New York.
headed to his first Grand a smile. “I can just say: I try tape along his right upper Associated Press
Slam semifinal. to be myself, guys.” arm and both upper legs, event, and went 1-1. up two sets to none in the
Medvedev has drawn Reprising his professional remnants of issues devel- Wawrinka said he wasn’t fourth round when defend-
plenty of attention at Flush- wrestling persona briefly, oped over a couple of too preoccupied by Med- ing champ Novak Djokovic
ing Meadows for the way he added, “I have to say, long matches earlier in the vedev’s visits from a trainer retired from their match
he sarcastically thanked ‘Sorry, guys.’ And, ‘Thank tournament, as well as be- in the first set, knowing the with a shoulder injury.
booing crowds, trolling you,’” and then laughed. ing the busiest man in the guy had been complain- “I saw him play the last few
them by suggesting their In the semifinals, Medve- business. ing after previous matches matches and been saying
venom was reason he kept dev will face the winner of He leads the tour in match about health issues. he has pain, and for sure
winning. Now maybe folks Tuesday night’s match be- wins in 2019, and also is “He’s still winning, still play- he has pain. Some play-
will pay more attention to tween Roger Federer and coming off reaching the ing well, and still playing ers like to show everybody
the 23-year-old Russian’s Grigor Dimitrov. finals at three hard-court better and better the more they have pain. Some oth-
unusual brand of shape- In the first women’s quarter- tuneup tournaments in a the match goes on,” said ers hide it.”
shifting tennis, which car- final, No. 5 Elina Svitolina of row. Federer, for example, Wawrinka, the 2016 U.S.
ried him past Wawrinka 7-6 Ukraine beat No. 16 Johan- entered only one such Open champion who was Continued on Page 21