Almaty Open semi-finals: Medvedev meets home hope Bublik as Tsitsipas faces qualifier Basilashvili
Defending champion Daniil Medvedev dropped no serve against Terence Atmane, Bublik saved a set to beat Khachanov, and Tsitsipas and Basilashvili fill the other semi.
The Almaty Open semi-final line-up is set after Friday's quarter-finals in Kazakhstan. Defending champion Daniil Medvedev will face home favourite Alexander Bublik, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will play qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili. Three of Friday's four quarter-finals were won in straight sets, while Bublik needed a final-set tie-break.
Medvedev near-perfect on serve
Medvedev beat France's Terence Atmane 6-4, 6-4 in about an hour and 15 minutes. The top seed did not face a single break point. He won 31 of 34 points on his first serve, about 91 per cent, and broke Atmane once in each set: at 3-3 in the first and in the opening game of the second.
Eurosport noted that Medvedev has now won 13 of his last 15 matches since the US Open. He won this title a year ago by beating Corentin Moutet in the final, and he is two wins from defending it.
Bublik battles back against Khachanov
Third seed Bublik, playing in front of his home crowd, lost the first set to fifth seed Karen Khachanov but won the next two in tie-breaks, 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5). That gives him a 2-1 lead in their head-to-head. Khachanov had needed to save five match points to beat Tomas Machac in the previous round, but this time he was on the losing end of a close finish.
The semi-final will be tough for Bublik. TennisTemple's head-to-head figures show Medvedev leading their rivalry 6-1.
Tsitsipas finds his serve
Seventh seed Tsitsipas beat Australia's James Duckworth 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour 12 minutes. He hit 15 aces, served no double faults and won 34 of 37 first-serve points. Duckworth did not get a single break point. TennisTemple said it is the Greek's first hard-court semi-final since he won Dubai in February 2025, an important step after a difficult period.
His opponent, Basilashvili, came through qualifying and has now won three main-draw matches in Almaty. He beat Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-1 in the quarter-finals. Mannarino had knocked out fourth seed Andrey Rublev in the previous round. Second seed Luciano Darderi lost his opening match to Duckworth, which opened up that half of the draw.
Saturday schedule in Malaysia time
Almaty is three hours behind Malaysia. Match listings put Basilashvili v Tsitsipas at 10am GMT on Saturday 24 October, which is 6pm in Malaysia. Medvedev v Bublik is the other semi-final on the same day. The final is on Sunday 25 October.
Key takeaways
- Medvedev beat Atmane 6-4, 6-4 without facing a break point and plays Bublik in the semi-finals.
- Bublik beat Khachanov 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5) in front of his home crowd.
- Tsitsipas hit 15 aces in a 6-3, 6-4 win over Duckworth.
- Qualifier Basilashvili beat Mannarino 6-3, 6-1 to reach the last four.
- The first semi-final is listed for about 6pm Saturday, Malaysia time; the final is on Sunday.
FAQ
Who won the Almaty Open last year? Daniil Medvedev won the 2025 title, beating Corentin Moutet 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in the final. He is the top seed and defending champion this year.
What is the head-to-head between Medvedev and Bublik? Medvedev leads 6-1, according to TennisTemple. Bublik will have the advantage of a home crowd in Almaty.
What time are the Almaty Open semi-finals in Malaysia? Basilashvili v Tsitsipas is listed for 10am GMT, which is 6pm Saturday in Malaysia. Medvedev v Bublik is also on Saturday. Order-of-play times can change.
Sources: ATP Tour, Eurosport, TennisTemple, Tennis Tonic