Medvedev joins unheralded cousins in Shanghai semis; Paolini stuns Swiatek at Wuhan Open

Daniil Medvedev said he was showing “signs of my previous self” after the former world number one eased past Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 on Friday to reach the Shanghai Masters semi-finals.

The Russian will face unseeded Arthur Rinderknech, who claimed the scalp of yet another seed in Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-3, 6-4, to join his cousin Valentin Vacherot in the last four.

The 204th-ranked Vacherot plays four-time Shanghai champion Novak Djokovic in the other semi-final.

Medvedev, who has slipped down the rankings to 18th, proclaimed himself “super happy” after “a very tough year”.

“I’m happy that at this moment I’m showing some great tennis, some great signs of my previous self — or my new self — and just looking forward for the next round.”

Medvedev broke world number seven De Minaur in the fifth game and then managed to hold despite a wobbly 10th in which he had to save a breakpoint and committed three double-faults.

De Minaur had his moments but the Australian looked somewhat flat, failing to capitalise when opportunities presented themselves.

A series of errors in the ninth game handed the second set to Medvedev, who finished with an ace and no further drama.

France’s Rinderknech is the next obstacle to the Russian gaining a second Shanghai title after winning in 2019.

Rinderknech, ranked 54 at the beginning of the tournament, has had a dream run in Shanghai, including beating world number three Alexander Zverev.

The 30-year-old’s success has been matched by his cousin, Monaco’s Vacherot, who booked his place in the last four on Thursday by eliminating Denmark’s Holger Rune.

Rinderknech made easy work of 13th-ranked Auger-Aliassime, breaking in the sixth game with a down-the-line winner.

He started the second set with intention, breaking in the first game with a forehand to ensure the Canadian was never able to really get going.

“Sometimes you like to win ugly, and today I thought it was a pretty good-looking win,” he joked.

Rinderknech said that getting through his own quarter-final was far less stressful than watching Vacherot’s the day before.

“I’m not used to watching someone and really wanting him to win so badly,” he said.

“It was a lot easier for me to be on court today and just control my emotions and do my own thing, that I know how to do.”

He said his family WhatsApp group was “burning”.

“Everybody is just living the little dream we are in, Val and I, so it’s really enjoyable.”

Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka extended her unbeaten run at the Wuhan Open to 20 matches with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Elena Rybakina on Friday, keeping alive her quest for a fourth straight title and setting up a semi-final clash with Jessica Pegula.

Third seed Coco Gauff joined Sabalenka in the semi-finals with a comfortable 6-3 6-0 victory over German Laura Siegemund but second seed Iga Swiatek of Poland was stunned by Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini, who prevailed 6-1 6-2.

Up next for the big-hitting Belarusian is American Pegula, who came from behind to defeat Czech Katerina Siniakova 2-6 6-0 6-3 for her 50th match win of the season, boosting her chances of qualifying for next month’s season-ending WTA Finals.

Later, in a rematch of their 2024 French Open final, Paolini produced a flawless display to outclass world number two Swiatek for the first time and book a clash with Gauff.

“Finally I won a match,” a beaming Paolini said immediately after her seventh meeting with Swiatek. “I’m super happy about my level. It feels amazing.”

Agencies