A master of his craft: Daniil Medvedev © APA/afp / DAVID GRAY

Sinner's last test: tactical fox Medvedev

With his victory over Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, Jannik Sinner made national and international sports history on Friday. However, the man from Sexten has not yet reached the end of his journey, because on Sunday the final is against a very special opponent: Daniil Medvedev

27 January 2024

From: leo

The rivalry between Jannik Sinner and the charismatic Russian is a special one. Medvedev won the first six duels easily, but lost three duels in a row last fall: the finals in Beijing and Vienna as well as the semi-finals at the ATP Finals. The world number 3 knows the reason for this sudden trend reversal. not. “In my opinion, tactics don’t play a big role,” Medvedev said after his Marathon victory against Alexander Zverev. “Yes, he used the serve and volley a little more often and played more aggressively. But now he does that against every opponent,” emphasizes Medvedev, who is not without reason said to play chess on the court.

He can read the game like no other and turn tactics on their head during a match. Like against Zverev, when he preferred long rallies in the first two sets before suddenly taking more risks, repeatedly rushing to the net and surprising the German with stop balls. “I think the difference is that Jannik just played better now. At the end of last season I wasn't at 100 percent. I played well, but something was missing. And if you want to win against Jannik, you have to perform at the limit of your capabilities,” says Medvedev.

Who has the better nerves?

The big question before the final is what the Russian's physical condition is like. In total, Medvedev was on the pitch for almost six hours longer, and he had to go the full distance three times. However, Gilles Cervara's protégé is one of the fittest players on the tour and should therefore go into the final well-rested. In any case, Sinner is the favorite in this one. The question remains: is Medvedev making use of his greater experience? Because while Sinner has not yet played a Grand Slam final, it is already the man from Moscow's sixth. And the first in which the opponent is not called Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal.

Get along well: Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev © ANSA / CHRISTIAN BRUNA

One thing is certain: Sinner has already achieved great things and can therefore approach the final without any pressure. Anyone who knows the Sesto native knows that only one thing counts on Sunday at the Rod Laver Arena from 9.30 a.m. (CET): namely the victory. SportNews As usual, accompanies this historic match with a live ticker.