Sinner wins Australian Open
Epic five-set comeback win over Daniil Medvedev
Jannik Sinner clinches first Grand Slam title as he wins the Australian Open. Daniil Medvedev becomes the first player in history to lose two Grand Slam finals when leading by two sets. Jannik Sinner won a first Grand Slam title epically, coming back from two sets down to defeat Daniil Medvedev 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-3 in a remarkable men’s singles final in Melbourne.
Medvedev has previously lost two finals at Rod Laver Arena, one of which was a five-set match against Rafa Nadal in 2022. He has now become the first male player to lose two Grand Slam finals after leading by two sets. Medvedev has lost five out of six major finals to date. Additionally, his record at a hard court slam now stands at 50-2 after winning the first set, with the only two losses being the two five-set defeats in the final.
Medvedev said following the defeat: “It’s three finals in a row, but congratulations Jannik, you deserved it.
“I’m gonna try to make it next time. I just want to thank everyone.”
Sinner, meanwhile, paid credit to his opponent, saying: “Daniil, congrats to you and your team. You always make me a much, much better player. I hope you can also lift this trophy and I wish you the best for the rest of the season.”
I am so happy for you Jannik! 👏🏻 You deserve it more than anyone! 🏆 Enjoy the moment my friend! 😀 @janniksin pic.twitter.com/IcWDQIdF9L
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) January 28, 2024
No Familiar Faces
The Australian Open final didn’t feature Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer for the first time since 2005. Sinner couldn’t match Medvedev’s early aggression, and despite reaching the final after spending over 20 hours on the court, the Russian showed no signs of fatigue.
While Sinner had only lost one set throughout the tournament, he quickly lost the second one as Medvedev secured the opener. In contrast to Djokovic’s semi-final defeat to Sinner, Medvedev earned three break point opportunities in his second service game, and a double-break helped him clinch the opening set. Djokovic failed to create a single breakpoint chance against Sinner’s serve during their match.
JANNIK SINNER, OUR AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPION pic.twitter.com/S1uZyul9DI
— mart😾jannik sinner AO champ (@ioelemiepare) January 28, 2024
The second set showed promise
He faced a tough start to the second set and was in danger of losing his serve, but he fought hard and managed to save four break points, which was an important hold for the Italian. However, he couldn’t maintain his momentum and lost his next two service games, falling behind 5-1.
Although he lost the second set, there was a late comeback attempt by the world No. 4. He immediately broke Medvedev’s back, held to 15, and then had another break opportunity, which was eventually saved by the Russian player.
In the third and fourth sets, Sinner won in the same way by breaking from 5-4 up in both sets. As the match progressed, Medvedev started to show signs of fatigue after spending several grueling hours on the court.
Sinner was now dictating the pace of the game, but the saved break point at 3-3 in the fourth set was a hugely significant moment for the eventual champion.
3 – Jannik Sinner is the 3rd youngest player to win the Men’s Singles title at the Australian Open since 1988 (when the tournament moved to Melbourne Park), older only than Novak Djokovic in 2008 and Jim Courrier in 1992. Quality. #AusOpen | @AustralianOpen @janniksin @atptour pic.twitter.com/FptS21ZnIg
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 28, 2024
Youngest in 16 years
In the sixth game, Sinner managed to break free from his opponent and went on to become the first Italian man to win a Grand Slam tournament since Adriano Panatta in 1976. He is also the youngest player to win the Australian Open since Djokovic in 2008. When serving for the match, Sinner initially built a 30-0 lead but was then brought back to 30-30 by Medvedev. However, instead of being nervous, Sinner responded by hitting back-to-back forehand winners, earning himself a championship point and ultimately claiming his first Grand Slam title in his debut final.
Sinner added following his victory: “I’m so proud. It was a very tough match.
“He started off really well, he moved me around the court and I couldn’t make my game plan work. I was looking for small chances and, at some point, the match changed. I’m really happy with how I reacted.”