Tennis-Medvedev grinds out win over Dimitrov to reach US Open final

Daniil Medvedev will play for a first Grand Slam title after grinding out a 7-6(5) 6-4 6-3 win over Grigor Dimitrov in their U.S. Open semi-final on Friday.

Medvedev has had a complicated relationship with the Flushing Meadows crowds, who cast him as a U.S. Open bad boy following some on-court antics, but the fifth seeded Russian has been as good as gold where it matters -- on the scoreboard. The win sends Medvedev through to his fourth straight final and stretches his win streak to 12 matches.

The first Russian man to reach a Grand Slam final since Marat Safin at the 2005 Australian Open, Medvedev now awaits the winner of the other semi-final between three-time champion Rafa Nadal and surprise package Matteo Berrettini of Italy. (Editing by Peter Rutherford)