By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, January 26, 2024
Going the distance has drained Daniil Medvedev physically ahead of his Australian Open final return.
The third-seeded Medvedev is ready to push to the limit when he meets Jannik Sinner in Sunday’s Australian Open final.
Medvedev has won six of nine meetings vs. Sinner, but the Italian Davis Cup hero has won their last three encounters.
The 2021 US Open champion Medvedev has gone the five-set distance in three of his six tournament wins in Melbourne Park. Twice, Medvedev has rallied from two sets down to prevail.
Olympic gold-medal champion Zverev came agonizingly close to a maiden Australian Open final only to blow a two-set lead and bow to rival Daniil Medvedev 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 6-3 in a gut-wrenching four hour, 18-minute loss.
In contrast, Sinner has not dopped a set in teh tournament and did not face a single break point dethroning 10-time AO Champion Novak Djokovic in a four-set semifinal win.
“I hope [experience] gives, because I hope to have some advantage. Physical advantage I probably don’t have,” Medvedev said. “Tennis advantage, let’s see. But three last times he got me.
“So I hope that this experience can help me. First final, I think it’s always different for everyone. I’m sure some guys went out on the first final and felt so good they just managed, I don’t know, to win it.
“There are probably these stories. Some would go and it would be tough mentally and they would lose. I have no idea how Jannik is going to be, but me, myself, I have this experience. I will try my best. I will fight for my life, and let’s see who wins.”
Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
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