Medvedev takes down Tsitsipas to set up Nadal date in final

MELBOURNE : Daniil Medvedev will play Rafa Nadal for the Australian Open title on Sunday after a stirring victory over Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-final on Friday.

The Russian world number two reached the Australian Open decider for the second year in succession by defeating Tsitsipas 7-6(5) 4-6 6-4 6-1.

Should Medvedev defeat the Spanish great, he will become the first man in the Open era to win his first two Grand Slam titles in succession after his triumph in New York last September.

The Russian denied Novak Djokovic the calendar Grand Slam in the U.S. Open final and will now seek to stop Nadal from setting an all-time men's record of 21 Grand Slam titles.

(Reporting by Courtney Walsh; editing by Pritha Sarkar)