WATCH: Daniil Medvedev survives Australian Open scare after point of the year contender

Felix Auger-Aliassime so nearly pulled off one of the shocks of the 2022 Australian Open, even setting up a match point, but was ultimately unable to close out tournament favourite Daniil Medvedev.

Before the tournament began and with the absence of world number one Novak Djokovic, Medvedev was the bookies’ choice to claim back-to-back Slam titles by winning this year’s Australian Open to back up his New York crown.

He came into his quarter-final against Auger-Aliassime with a 3-0 record over the young Canadian, including a recent 6-4, 6-0 victory at the ATP Cup earlier this month and a one-sided US Open semi-final in September.

But the ninth seed was in impressive form as he took the match to Medvedev with a high level of play, including during this energetic  exchange in the first set.

The 21-year-old never let up after gaining the upper hand in the match, offering up just three break point chances in the match to keep the pressure on Medvedev.

But the world number two knuckled down to grind out the third in a tiebreak, and even held off a match point in the fourth set with a big serve out wide.

Medvedev clinched the fourth and fifth to win 6-7 (4-7), 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, 6-4 after more than four and a half hours on Rod Laver Arena.

The comeback win is second ever from two sets to love down, the first coming against Marin Cilic in the third round of Wimbledon last year.

Medvedev will next face three-time Australian Open semi-finalist and world number four Stefanos Tsitsipas after he overcame Italian 11th seed Jannik Sinner.

The Greek was also dominant in defeating Sinner, winning in straight sets in just under two hours on Rod Laver Arena.

Tsitsipas has really ramped up his form as the tournament has progressed, reaching his peak at the perfect moment, something that really impressed three-time Australian Open winner Mats Wilander and former world number four Tim Henman.

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