Aslan Karatsev is Just Two Wins From One of the Greatest Sporting Upsets Ever
Aslan Karatsev moved a step closer to pull off one of the all-time great sporting upsets as he defeated Grigor Dimitrov in four sets to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
The Russian lost the opening set 2-6, but recovered swiftly to take the next three sets 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 to become the first man in the open era to reach the last four in his first appearance at a Grand Slam tournament.
The world No. 114-ranked player, Karatsev is only the fifth qualifier to ever make it to the semi-finals of one of the men's four majors in the open era and the lowest-ranked man to do so at the Australian Open since Patrick McEnroe did so in 1991, when he was also ranked 114th.
Karatsev is also the lowest-ranked man to reach the semi-finals of any Grand Slam tournament since Goran Ivanisevic made the last four at Wimbledon in 2001 as the world's No. 125.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," the 27-year-old said after defeating the 18th-seeded Dimitrov on Tuesday. "Of course, it's [my] first time. First time in main draw; first time semis. It's incredible."
The Russian, who was ranked 253rd when proceedings on the ATP circuit resumed in August following a five-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic, will now meet either world No. 1 and eight-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic or world No. 7 Alexander Zverev for a place in the final.
Regardless of the outcome of the semi-final, Karatsev will be in the world's top-50 when the ATP releases its update rankings on Monday.
To put Karatsev's fairytale run into context, the Russian will receive $662,696 for reaching the semi-finals at the Australian Open, while his entire career prize money up until Tuesday stood at $618,354.
Dimitrov was the latest seeded player to fall to Karatsev, who previously eliminated No. 8 Diego Schwartzman and No. 20 Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The Russian overcame a two-set deficit to defeat the latter in the fourth round and found himself trailing again on Tuesday as Dimitrov, a three-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, comfortably won the first set.
Karatsev, however, stormed back to take the next three sets and ensure Russia will have at least two semi-finalists at the Australian Open, given his compatriots Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev face off in the quarter-final on Wednesday.
Despite his stunning run, Karatsev remains a long-shot to win the Australian Open and at 25-1 his odds are the longest of any of the seven players left in the tournament—Djokovic is the bookmakers' favorite at 7-5, followed by Medvedev at 3-1 and by world No. 2 Rafael Nadal at 4-1.
Despite his stunning run, Karatsev remains an outsider to win the Australian Open and at 25-1 his odds are the longest of any of the seven players left in the tournament—Djokovic is the bookmakers' favorite at 7-5, followed by Medvedev at 3-1 and by world No. 2 Rafael Nadal at 4-1.
By comparison, however, the Russian went off as a 200-1 long shot at the beginning of the tournament and could still emulate Ivanisevic's fairytale triumph at Wimbledon two decades ago.
Having fallen at the last hurdle at the All England Club in 1992, 1994 and 1998, the Croat was handed a wildcard berth for the 2001 tournament after plummeting down the world rankings and went off as a 125-1 outsider.
Ivanisevic then embarked on one of the most exhilarating runs in tennis' history, defeating qualifier Fredrik Jonsonn, No. 21 seeded Carlos Moya and future world No. 1 Andy Roddick in the first three rounds, before eliminating Greg Rusedski and world No. 4 Marat Safin in the fourth round and in the quarter-finals respectively.
The Croat then prevailed over home favorite and No. 6 seed Tim Henman in the semifinals and defeating world No. 3 Pat Rafter in five sets in the final.
