Daniil Medvedev to meet Rafael Nadal in Australian Open final
Melbourne, Jan 28: Daniil Medvedev reeled off the last five games to beat Stefanos Tsitispas 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a heated Australian Open semifinal and continue his bid for back-to-back major titles.
The second-seeded Medvedev will play Rafael Nadal in the final on Sunday as he continues his bid to be the first man in the Open era to win his second Grand Slam title at the next major tournament.
Nadal is bidding for a men's-record 21st Grand Slam singles title after beating Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Nadal shares the men's record at 20 major titles with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Medvedev had to save a match point and rally from two sets down in the quarterfinals late Wednesday and had another emotional match against Tsitsipas two days later. He yelled at the chair umpire after dropping serve in the second set and demanded that Tsitsipas be cautioned for receiving coaching from his father in the crowd.
Medvedev lost the set, took a five-minute break and returned with more composure.
He converted a crucial service break late in the third set and he won the last five games to wrap it up.
Medevedev also beat Tsitsipas in the semifinals at Melbourne Park last year before losing to Djokovic in the final.
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Security forces destroy 23 illegal bunkers, seize 18 IEDs in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): Security forces have destroyed 23 bunkers illegally constructed in Manipur's Ukhrul and seized 18 IEDs in Tengnoupal district in separate operations, a police statement said on Saturday.
The bunkers were destroyed on Thursday in the hill villages of Mongkot Chepu, Shongphel, Mullam, Sirarakhong and Ringue in Litan police station area, it said.
A 12-bore pump action gun, 17 cartridges of different calibres and 111 empty cases of fired bullets were also seized.
At least seven people have been shot dead in different firing incidents and more than 30 houses have been torched since violence broke out between Tangkhul Naga and Kuki communities in Ukhrul district in February this year.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation on Wednesday, security forces seized a cache of arms and explosives in T Bongmol village in Moreh police station area in Tengnoupal district.
Two single-barrel rifles, four 9mm pistols with magazines and 18 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were seized. The explosives were destroyed on the spot, it added.
