Melbourne (AFP)

Russian Aslan Karatsev, 114th in the world and from qualifying, qualified for the semi-finals of the Australian Open at the expense of Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (21st), diminished by a back injury, in four sets 2- 6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2, Tuesday in Melbourne.

At 27, Karatsev becomes the first player in the Open era to find a place in the last four from his very first Grand Slam.

He is also the lowest ranked player to invite to Melbourne for thirty years.

He will challenge the world No.1 Novak Djokovic or the German Alexander Zverev (7th) for a place in the final.

"It's an incredible feeling, first Grand Slam, first semi-final, it's incredible," Karatsev reacted without effusion.

Dimitrov appeared seriously injured in the lower back in the third set, until he was unable to serve at the very end of the set.

Handled off the court before the fourth set, he was no longer able to compete afterwards.

And to think that before this Australian fortnight, Karatsev had won only three matches on the main circuit since the start of his career!

The Russian went through qualifying, which took place exceptionally in Doha in mid-January, to earn his place in the main draw.

He successively eliminated the world No. 9 Diego Schwartzman in the third round, the Canadian promise Félix Auger-Aliassime (19th) by recovering a delay of two sets to zero in the round of 16, then Dimitrov now.

Even if he broke quickly to lead 2-1 in the first set, it was Karatsev who appeared in difficulty first: he conceded six consecutive games then, and seemed close to the point in the second set.

But he stuck, and his Bulgarian opponent, who had not hinted at any particular physical difficulties at the start of the game, suddenly lost his footing.

“The start was very difficult, I was very nervous, and the heat was a bit too much. Then I picked up in the second set, and in the third, he hurt. I didn't know he was injured, ”Karatsev said.

Dimitrov, however, remained on an expeditious success against world No.3 Dominic Thiem in the previous round.

Karatsev becomes only the fifth qualifier to reach the major tournament semi-finals in the Open era, only second at the Australian Open.

© 2021 AFP