Alex de Minaur ended Daniil Medvedev’s winning run at the ATP Toronto Masters on Friday, surprising the second seed 7-6 (9/7), 7-5 to reach the semi-finals.
Australia’s de Minaur will make his first semi-final appearance at the Masters 1000 level against unseeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who beat Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-2.
Medvedev had won his last seven matches in Toronto, including a title run in 2021.
But the 27-year-old was unable to get past the efficient game of No. 18 De Minaur, who had lost four of five previous meetings with Medvedev.
The unseeded Aussie broke the spell last November with a win in Paris.
“I had to play my best tennis,” last weekend’s Los Cabos runner-up said.
“It’s been a great week for me so far.
“Beating him last year gave me the confidence for this match. It’s always a complete chess match between us, we’re both adaptable and can play many styles of tennis.
“He brings out the best in me, The way I played today was the best style of tennis that I could produce.”
De Minaur needed more than an hour per set to prevail against the world number three.
The Aussie saved three set points in the opener and claimed the victory on his own second opportunity as Medvedev double-faulted.
De Minaur was playing his ninth quarter-final of the season and after beating ninth-ranked Taylor Fritz on Thursday now has earned two top-10 wins in the same event for the first time in his career.
Medvedev, meanwhile, suffered only his third loss this season at a Masters tournament.
Davidovich Fokina advanced in 97 minutes on his third match point against Mackenzie, who beat an injury hobbled Rafael Nadal in the second round of the Australian Open in January.
The 37th-ranked Spaniard, who reached the final Monte Carlo last year, continued a strong week that saw him topple world number three Casper Ruud on Thursday.
“Beating top players is giving me a lot of confidence,” Davidovich Fokina said.
“I want to step on the court and play my best, enjoy every point.
“Today I got the battle I wanted, but I thought it would be tougher. I believe in myself and that is giving me a lot of power.”