At the level of Big 3

After semis loss to Thiem, Medvedev feels Austrian’s tennis matches yardstick set by Federer, Nadal, Djoko; second seed faces Zverev for another shot at Major.

Playing Dominic Thiem at the moment is like facing some of the game’s all-time greats, Russia’s Daniil Medvedev said after the Austrian beat him on Friday to reach the US Open final.

Thiem, an Australian Open finalist earlier this year, beat the third seed 6-2 7-6(7) 7-6(5) to set up a final with Alexander Zverev after the German rallied to beat Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta in five sets.

Both are seeking their first Grand Slam title, but Medvedev said Thiem’s performance was such that he felt the Austrian was playing at the same high level and consistency as the ‘Big Three’ of the game - Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

The trio have between them won 56 of the last 67 Grand Slam titles since Federer won his first at Wimbledon in 2003. “He played like a real champion,” Medvedev said of Thiem. “That’s actually the stress of the Big Three. No matter which day you play them, it seems like they play the same level. “Myself or Dominic, we can have these bad days where...maybe you can say I’m going to play to the backhand of Dominic and get some chances.

“Well, not during this US Open or Australian Open. He’s playing really some great tennis. Everything is there.”

Medvedev acknowledged he was disappointed not to be in a second successive final at Flushing Meadows - he was beaten in five sets by Nadal last year - but said he would quickly move on from the loss as he did not feel he could have played much better. “Tennis is all about small points. Sometimes you win these points; sometimes you lose them,” he said. “Today I lost the most important points. That’s how he got the win.”

MEN’S SEMIS

♦ Alexander Zverev def. Pablo Carreno Busta 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3

♦ Dominic Thiem def. Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5)

WOMEN’S DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP

♦ Vera Zvonareva and Laura Siegemund def. Xu Yifan and Nicole Melichar 6-4, 6-4

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Zverev digs himself out of two-set hole

Alexander Zverev overcame a listless start to secure a 3-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 6-3 US Open semi-final win over Pablo Carreno Busta.

The German looked headed for certain defeat after committing 36 errors through the first two sets but used his versatile game to pick himself up and then looked like a completely different player.