In the shadow of Rafael Nadal's record hunt, Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas is fighting for the greatest Grand Slam honor.

A good six months after his narrowly lost final at the French Open, Alexander Zverev's competitor at the Australian Open is only one win away from contesting his second final at the most famous level of his sport.

While Nadal wants to secure the chance of the 21st Grand Slam title and the associated record against Matteo Berrettini on Friday, Tsitsipas competes against the Russian winner of the US Open Daniil Medvedev or the young Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

"That's just the beginning.

Let's do it," Tsitsipas announced in Melbourne on Wednesday when his semifinals again were perfect with an impressive 6: 3, 6: 4, 6: 2 against Italian talent Jannik Sinner: "I'm ready for anything." Exactly that is anything but self-evident, just as little as his trip to Australia was in the first place.

Almost affectionately, the 23-year-old spoke of his "Doctor Frank" with a smile after his splendid performance.

And that the doctor makes it difficult for him to forget the elbow operation, after all he sends him messages regularly.

Withdrawal from the ATP Finals

"I'm sure my doctor is watching," said Tsitsipas with a grin when, after his successful quarter-finals, he went to the microphone with his wild, sweaty mane for the winner's interview: "Neither of us expected me to take part in the Australian Open .

It wasn't part of the plan to play in Australia, but I proved him wrong." Such an injury helps to stay humble, Tsitsipas said: "When things are going well, you tend to glorify yourself as if you are untouchable

It's important in this process to keep your feet on the ground and remember that you are a human striving for greatness.”

In November, Tsitsipas had to withdraw from the ATP Finals because of his injury, and Zverev celebrated his triumph in Turin as a happy winner.

Both have long been protagonists in the ongoing theme of changing the guard in men's tennis and the future of the sport, which has been shaped for so many years by the brilliant era of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Nadal.

Both are likely to fight again and again for important titles in the coming years.

Zverev and Tsitsipas do not always agree - as the debate about the extended toilet breaks showed, with which the Greek drew the ire of his competitors last year.

At the Grand Slam level, Tsitsipas, ATP final winner from 2019, and Zverev probably expected more from themselves.

In Melbourne, the fourth in the world rankings has come two steps further than the Olympic champion, who surprisingly failed in the round of 16.

Tsitsipas has spiced up his statistics with the third semi-final in Melbourne after 2019 and 2021 and the fifth Grand Slam semi-final overall.

He feels like he's in the tunnel, Tsitsipas said, and has no plan to change that.

On a hot Wednesday in Melbourne, Tsitsipas impressed with his uncompromising forehand.

In the meantime, he was only slowed down by a rain break, during which the roof of the Rod Laver Arena was closed and hard-working ball children and helpers wiped the floor dry with towels.

The Greek did not want to answer specifically whether it was his best match of the season so far.

"But it was a great performance from start to finish without a doubt," he said.

This form should lead him to his first Grand Slam title.

In June 2021, in the final of the French Open, it had long looked as if Tsitsipas could shock world number one Djokovic.

But the Serb prevented the coup after two lost sets.

In Melbourne, Djokovic's absence is now massively increasing Tsitsipas' chances of winning the title.