Australian Open: Title favourite Medvedev to clash with Tsitspas once more for final place

Daniil Medvedev will take on Stefanos Tsitsipas in a second straight Australian Open semi-final on Friday.

The pair met at the same stage on the Rod Laver Arena last year, with Medvedev winning in straight sets.

The Russian battled from two sets down against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime to set up a repeat meeting with the 23-year-old Greek Tsitsipas.

Tsitipas, who had elbow surgery last last year, powered past Italy's Jannik Sinner in straight sets.

In the first semi-final, 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will face Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini.

As the highest seed standing, Medvedev is arguably still the favourite to lift the title on Sunday, but was made to work hard for his semi-final berth.

Medvedev, who is trying to reach a second consecutive Australian Open final said after his quarter-final win: «I said 'I am going to make him work.'

»I managed to raise my level and when they closed the roof I was able to go through momentum and I started playing better."

Tsitsipas made up for his fourth-round struggle in five sets against Taylor Fritz to deliver a clinical performance against Sinner.

The Greek started the year in pain during the ATP Cup following little preparation after his operation, but has come into form in good time, as he plays in a fifth Grand Slam semi-final.

After another injury-ridden season, a rusty couple of performances at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships and contracting Covid-19, few would have predicted Nadal would be a factor in this year's tournament.

Yet the Spaniard has carved his way through the draw, and faces Berrettini for the second time in a Slam semi-final, having beaten him in straight sets at the 2019 US Open.

Nadal had to fight past a feisty Denis Shapovalov in the