26/01/2024 12:01hs.
After Jannik Sinner’s great victory over Novak Djokovic What the Italian’s first Grand Slam final meant and the Serbian’s fall in his tennis home, it remained to know the second finalist of the Australian Open and that box already has a name: Daniil Medvedev He goes for the glory.
With partials of 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) and 6-3 in 4h22m, The Russian defeated Alexander Zverev in a match that from start to finish had a dynamic in which it was impossible to predict a winner.
The German had just eliminated Carlos Alcaraz and reached the semifinal playing tennis from lowest to highest. Sascha won the first two sets, but if there is someone who resists on the circuit it is Medvedev. Daniil is one of those rivals who returns everything that is thrown at him and for this match it was one of his great strengths.
He had the necessary nerve to withstand the attacks of his rival who sought to end the story quickly and won two consecutive tie-breaks to take the story to the final round. There he only had room for resistance. Both had thrown all their cards and the details ended up defining that the Russian was the one who got the pass to the grand final.
The Russian has his first title of the year. (EFE)
In cold numbers, the match reflects the parity that existed throughout the match. Medvedev broke his rival’s serve four times, while Zverev did it five times.
Long rallies are a great specialty of both of them. The serve and the powerful forehand are also coincidences, so there was no great factor capable of tipping the balance one way or the other. In terms of winners, Medvedev had 14 less than Zverev (they finished 66-52), but in unforced errors the Russian finished with 41, while Sascha finished the Australian night with 70.
This makes it clear that Daniil was more thorough in the process and knew how to be patient to get into his sixth Grand Slam final. In 2021 he won the US Open, while in Australia he fell consecutively in 2021 and 2022. In addition, he lost at the US Open in 2019 and 2023.
Against the rookie in the finals, Sinner, he will seek to get the hang of it at the Australian Open and put his name on a select list. Since 2006, Djokovic, Nadal or Federer have not shared the title (Stan Wawrinka was the exception in 2014), so Daniil will have dreams of glory.
For his part, at 22 years old Sinner will be followed by the eyes of the world. The Italian reaches the final on Sunday at 5 with only one set given up – this Friday against Djokovic – and His level excites locals and strangers to start 2024 with a consecration.
Medvedev displaced Alcaraz and will be number 2 in the world
With the victory in the semifinals, Medvedev assured himself of being number 2 in the world from next week after displacing Alcaraz. The Russian finished a very positive 2023 and started the new year in the best way. The final in Australia not only gives him a great cushion of points, but it also gives him confidence for what will follow in the season.
The upcoming game and history as a parameter
It will be a special duel. On the one hand, the patience and serenity of Medvedev to pass everything that is thrown at him and wait for the right moment to attack, while on the other there will be the stick and stick of Sinner with a very aggressive game in which short points predominate. . Regardless of who becomes champion, the promise of a great game is made.
History shows that They met nine times with six victories for the Russian and three for the Italian. The peculiarity is that both accumulated their victories consecutively and Sinner ended up winning the last triad of crosses. In finals, the record is 2-2 per side. The last one was in Vienna in October 2023 and Jannik ended up winning in three sets.
Medvedev and Sinner face to face again. (AFP)
2024-01-26 15:01:32
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