MELBOURNE – Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev extended his extraordinary Australian Open run to the semi-finals on Tuesday, as Japan’s Naomi Osaka underlined her title credentials with an emphatic win.
Karatsev, the world number 114, beat a hobbling Grigor Dimitrov 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 to become the first man to reach a Grand Slam semi-final on debut.
The 27-year-old has now knocked out three seeds on his run to the last four, where he will face world number one Novak Djokovic or US Open finalist Alexander Zverev.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Karatsev, whose career so far has been badly compromised by injury.
“It was tough at the beginning for me to hold my nerves, but I tried to find a way to play.”
Karatsev becomes only the second…
