Medvedev joins unheralded cousins in Shanghai semis; Paolini stuns Swiatek at Wuhan Open

Daniil Medvedev said he was showing “signs of my previous self” after the former world number one eased past Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 on Friday to reach the Shanghai Masters semifinals.

- 

The Russian will face unseeded Arthur Rinderknech, who claimed the scalp of yet another seed in Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-3, 6-4, to join his cousin Valentin Vacherot in the last four.

The 204th-ranked Vacherot plays four-time Shanghai champion Novak Djokovic in the other semifinal.

Medvedev, who has slipped down the rankings to 18th, proclaimed himself “super happy” after “a very tough year”.

“I'm happy that at this moment I'm showing some great tennis, some great signs of my previous self — or my new self — and just looking forward for the next round.”

Medvedev broke world number seven De Minaur in the fifth game and then managed to hold despite a wobbly 10th in which he had to save a breakpoint and committed three double-faults.

De Minaur had his moments but the Australian looked somewhat flat, failing to capitalise when opportunities presented themselves.