Australian Open 2021: Novak Djokovic faces Daniil Medvedev in men's final
Novak Djokovic goes for a record ninth Australian Open title as Russia’s Daniil Medvedev attempts to win his first Grand Slam.
Novak Djokovic goes for a record ninth Australian Open title as Russia’s Daniil Medvedev attempts to win his first Grand Slam.
In his first ATP Tour event in four months, Andy Murray has landed in a packed section of the Open Sud de France draw in Montpellier.
Making his first tour-level appearance since last October’s bett1HULKS Indoors in Cologne, the former World No. 1 will open his campaign against Belarusian Egor Gerasimov. Murray will aim to build on a strong start to his 2021 season in Montpellier, following his run to the Biella Challenger Indoor 1 final last week (l. to Marchenko).
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The British wild card will compete in the third quarter of the ATP 250 draw, which features the only two players competing in Montpellier to have already lifted an ATP Tour title this year. Murray could meet Great Ocean Road Open champion Jannik Sinner in the second round, with Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com champion Hubert Hurkacz a potential quarter-final opponent.
Sinner, who fell in five sets to Denis Shapovalov in the Australian Open first round, is competing indoors for the first time since his maiden ATP Tour title run at the Sofia Open last November. The #NextGenATP Italian will meet Aljaz Bedene in his first match.
In the final quarter of the draw, second seed and two-time Montpellier semi-finalist David Goffin could face 2018 champion Lucas Pouille in his first match. Pouille will face countryman Benjamin Bonzi in the first round. Pouille is not the only past champion in this section. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 2019 titlist, will meet #NextGenATP American Sebastian Korda in one of the picks of the first-round matches.
In the top half of the draw, Roberto Bautista Agut and Dusan Lajovic lead the way. In his first Montpellier appearance since his tournament debut in 2012, Bautista Agut will open his title bid against Nikoloz Basilashvili or a qualifier. The Spaniard is joined in the top quarter of the draw by sixth seed Ugo Humbert, who captured two ATP Tour titles on hard courts in 2020.
Third seed Lajovic will meet Dennis Novak or home favourite Gilles Simon in his opening match. The Serbian shares the second quarter with eighth seed Jan-Lennard Struff, who will begin his third appearance in Montpellier against a qualifier.
Rajeev Ram completed the first half of a potential Australian Open doubles double on Saturday, as he captured the mixed doubles title alongside Barbora Krejcikova on Rod Laver Arena.
Ram and Krejcikova claimed the trophy for the second time in three years with a 6-1, 6-4 victory against Aussie wild cards Matthew Ebden and Sam Stosur. The sixth seeds, who also lifted the trophy in 2019, converted four of six break points to clinch the title in 59 minutes.
Krejcikova has won the past three editions of the mixed doubles event at Melbourne Park. Last year, the Czech triumphed alongside Nikola Mektic of Croatia.
“I have to thank my partner. We had a year off as a team, but she didn’t have a year off and she won this thing last year. That’s three years running for her. Amazing job,” said Ram, during the trophy ceremony. “It was a pleasure to play with you, as always.”
The sixth seeds were almost eliminated in the second round. Ram and Krejcikova had to save a match point at 10/11 in a Match Tie-break to overcome Ben McLachlan and Ena Shibahara 6-4, 3-6, 13-11 for a place in the quarter-finals. Ram and Krejcikova dropped just one set en route to the title.
“They were pretty flawless,” said Ebden. “They hardly missed a ball, so congratulations and well done.”
Ram’s mixed doubles final victory keeps alive his hopes of completing the Australian Open doubles double. The American will attempt to capture his second straight men’s doubles title at Melbourne Park alongside Joe Salisbury on Sunday. The 2020 champions will meet ninth seeds Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek in the championship match.
Ebden and Stosur were both attempting to win the Australian Open mixed doubles trophy for the second time, following previous title runs with different partners. Ebden partnered Jarmila Wolfe to the title in 2013 and Stosur triumphed alongside Scott Draper in 2005.
“I’ve played Matt so many times. We’ve played on Tour together so many times and it is always a pleasure to play you,” said Ram. “[He is] a great player and Sam is obviously a legend of tennis and Australian tennis especially, so it was a real pleasure to share the court with you guys.”
Naomi Osaka cements her place as the outstanding star of the women’s game by beating Jennifer Brady in the Australian Open final for a fourth Grand Slam title.
Marin Cilic discovered his path to a 19th tour-level title on Saturday, following the Singapore Tennis Open draw.
The 2014 US Open champion is the third seed at the ATP 250, which is being held on a single-year licence at the 3,000-seater OCBC Arena inside the vast Singapore Sports Hub. Cilic, who is aiming to capture his ninth ATP Tour crown on indoor hard courts, will meet Taro Daniel or Ramkumar Ramanathan in his first match of the tournament.
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Cilic shares the third quarter of the draw with eighth seed Soonwoo Kwon of South Korea. The 32-year-old will attempt to capture his first trophy since the 2018 cinch Championships and move one step closer to joining the exclusive ’20 Club’.
Cilic is two titles away from becoming only the sixth active player to lift 20 tour-level crowns. Roger Federer (103), Rafael Nadal (86), Novak Djokovic (81), Andy Murray (46) and Juan Martin del Potro (22) are the only active players to win 20 or more tour-level events.
Also in the bottom half of the draw is second seed John Millman. The Aussie will try to double his ATP Tour trophy count with Singapore success. Last year’s Nur-Sultan titlist is joined in the fourth quarter by seventh seed Lloyd Harris of South Africa.
In the top half of the draw, Adrian Mannarino and Alexander Bublik lead the way. Top seed Mannarino will bid to reach his fourth ATP Tour final on indoor hard courts (0-3), while fourth seed Bublik will aim to go one step further than his runner-up finish at last month’s Antalya Open (l. to De Minaur). Mannarino shares the top quarter of the draw with sixth seed Radu Albot. Bublik is joined in the second quarter by fifth seed Yoshihito Nishioka.
On Tuesday, the North West University Potchefstroom was abuzz with excitement. An 18-year-old from South Africa was sending shockwaves through the tennis facility and across the ATP Challenger Tour.
The scene was set. It was an electric atmosphere on a perfect, sun-kissed afternoon in the university town of Potchefstroom. The youngest South African player in the FedEx ATP Rankings had just scored the biggest win of his burgeoning career.
“Let’s go!”, screamed Kholo Montsi. The teen let out a roar and repeatedly smacked his chest in triumph, as he earned his first victory on the Challenger circuit. An abundance of energy, enthusiasm and charisma were on full display as Montsi completed a 6-4, 6-1 victory over sixth seed Brayden Schnur.
Schnur is a former World No. 92, but his 18-year-old opponent was not intimidated. Far from it. As Montsi says, he relished this opportunity to test his talents on such a big stage.
“I was telling myself that I have nothing to lose,” Montsi reflected. “It was about using this opportunity and I went out there and started fighting. I’m very happy.”
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It was a valuable experience for South Africa’s rising star, as he embarks on his professional journey. Building confidence against the Challenger Tour’s top talents is critical for any young player, and that is exactly why Tennis South Africa invested in bringing the circuit back.
This month marks the return of the ATP Challenger Tour to South Africa, after an eight-year hiatus. Located less than two hours west of Johannesburg (the country’s largest city), Potchefstroom is a well-known university town in the North West Province. Last week, the PotchOpen I signaled the country’s first Challenger tournament since 2013. And this week, it is hosting the second of back-to-back Challenger 80 events. With the goal of putting the tennis-rich nation back on the map, they are establishing a new era in 2021. It all starts with providing their home grown talents with opportunities to mature and thrive.
South Africa has long played a significant role in the history of men’s professional tennis. The likes of Kevin Anderson, Kevin Curren, Wayne Ferreira and Johan Kriek reached the Top 5 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, while Byron Black, Wayne Black, Raven Klaasen and Kevin Ullyett cracked the Top 10 on the doubles circuit.
The country welcomed some of the game’s best for many years, hosting an ATP 250 event in Johannesburg until 2011. On the ATP Challenger Tour, the Soweto Open was held until 2013 at the historic Arthur Ashe Tennis Centre.
For Montsi, the Cape Town native is making strides since appearing at the 2020 ATP Cup as part of Team South Africa. It was there that he soaked in the world-class atmosphere and learned about life as a professional, while enjoying a front-row seat as his countrymen battled the likes of Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios.
Two of his ATP Cup teammates – Raven Klaasen and Ruan Roelofse – are also in Potchefstroom, competing as the top seeds in doubles. For them, being able to return to their roots and inspire the next generation of South African players is essential.
“Coming up as a junior, you have big aspirations to compete at the top,” said Klaasen. “When you can see this level of tennis in front of you in your home country, it plants a seed for where you might go one day with your dreams. Getting this exposure is valuable for younger players.”
“For myself, it’s about leading by example,” added Roelofse. “To be professional on and off the court and make kids excited about tennis and want to be like us. This is what we’re trying to achieve.”
What a moment! 18-year-old ?? Kholo Montsi earns his first #ATPChallenger victory with a 64 61 win over Schnur in Potchefstroom.
Meet the African junior champion…
? @TennisSA pic.twitter.com/iqvp6jQcyD
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) February 16, 2021
Tennis South Africa CEO Richard Glover sat down with ATPTour.com to discuss the return of the ATP Challenger Tour and the future of the sport in his country…
What do you hope the impact of these Challenger tournaments will be, as South African tennis continues to grow and develop?
Over the decades, South Africa has always been a vibrant tennis nation. But, one of the biggest challenges has been our location. Geographically, we’re on the southern tip of Africa, so we’re a long way from the rest of the tennis world. That’s been a real issue for the growth of the sport in this country.
Being able to host back-to-back Challenger 80s, as we have done these past two weeks, is massive for men’s tennis in the country. Critically, it gives our up-and-coming rising stars the ability to play good quality international tennis in home conditions. That’s a big advantage and a really good stepping stone for our rising stars.
You look at someone like young Kholo Montsi, an 18-year-old we have high hopes for in the future. He won his first-round match here for his first ever ATP Challenger win. I think that’s a great example of a springboard for a young man who’s looking to make it as a professional player.
After so many years, how proud are you to have Challenger tennis back in South Africa?
At one stage, because of COVID, we weren’t sure if we could host these two back-to-back events. So it’s a bit of a relief to be able to do it. I think many people don’t understand the calibre and standard of tennis that’s played on the ATP Challenger Tour. These are some outstanding athletes competing at this level. I’ve been blown away by the quality of the tennis. There truly are some future stars here. These tournaments can launch the careers of not just South African players, but those from all over the globe as well. I’m very proud to have Challenger tennis back.
What is the long-term vision for tennis in South Africa and how do these tournaments play a role?
From a Tennis South Africa perspective, what we’re busy with at the moment is really trying to strengthen the foundations of the sport. That is, increasing participation. We’ve managed to bring several sponsors into the sport, which is important as we look to continue investing in tournaments. Obviously, hosting international tournaments is the fundamental building block.
I think, referring back to Kholo Montsi again, he’s made some news in South Africa after winning his first match on the ATP Challenger Tour. It’s great for a sport like tennis, as we’re competing against a lot of other sports for eyeballs and attention. But let’s not forget about someone like Raven Klaasen, who is a Top 20 ATP doubles player. Unfortunately, due to COVID he was unable to travel to the Australian Open, but he decided to support his local tennis and play in the Challenger which is fantastic. Overall, it’s been a very positive first step, but there’s a lot of hard work to do. We want to bring even more international events, even more ATP Challengers and ultimately an ATP 250 to the country. If and when we do that, I think we can really say that tennis in South Africa is back on the map.
How can these tournaments inspire other African nations to develop their tennis programs and enter the professional landscape?
There is so much untapped athletic potential in Africa. You see it in so many other sports, but why not tennis? There is huge growth potential for that reason. I can’t say what’s best for other African countries, because they are all different and have their unique challenges and advantages as well.
But from our perspective, the thing that we’ve seen in trying to grow tennis in this country is that there are some fundamental principles that you need to put in place. If you do, I think you can grow. You need to have a clear vision of where you want to take the sport. And to have a plan to back up that vision. It needs to be underpinned by good governance and principles and ultimately show signs of progress. I think those are the fundamental tools to grow the sport throughout Africa.
The Soweto Open was such an iconic tournament on the Challenger Tour. Are you considering bringing it back in the future?
I think we would definitely like to bring it back at some point. It is an iconic event, held at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Centre in Soweto. Arthur Ashe has a deep connection and history within this country. I think it’s something we would look to bring back in the future.
There are times when you almost feel sorry for them.
Seated courtside, innocently enough, wife Daria and coach Gilles Cervara are oftentimes on the receiving end of Daniil Medvedev’s rants, his mid-match diatribes, as he seeks some frustration relief.
With his charge heading into a telltale fifth set against Filip Krajinovic in the third round of the Australian Open, Cervara had seen and heard enough. Medvedev had never before won a five-setter. It was best for all concerned, thought the Frenchman, if he vacated the premises and let Medvedev figure things out on his own. The ploy worked. Medvedev went on to win, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-0.
But Cervara is the first to tell you that, when the Russian sounds off, it’s nothing personal. It’s just a glimpse into the Medvedev mind; him working out the puzzle in real-time.
“His game is like his personality — very different,” explained Cervara in 2019, as Medvedev surged toward his first major final at Flushing Meadows. “It’s like coaching a genius. Sometimes a genius, you don’t understand them. It’s like this. They’re different. And you have to connect to this guy like he is.”
John McEnroe, himself once an outside-the-box strategist prone to the occasional tirade, had a more Kasparovian comparison in mind: “He’s like a chess master.”
Since that Slam breakthrough at the US Open, when he pushed Rafael Nadal to the brink in a final that stands among the finest ever played in the borough of Queens, Medvedev, 25, has been a model of consistency, a man of many streaks. He swept his last 10 matches of 2020, including seven Top 10 wins and titles at both the Rolex Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals. Carrying that over into 2021, his winning streak is now at 20.
“It’s tough to keep this momentum going from London to Melbourne,” said Medvedev, who since becoming the highest-charting Russian since Nikolay Davydenko in 2008 (No. 4 in the FedEx ATP Rankings), has gone from hunter to hunted. “I’m just happy that I managed to keep my game on top. Of course, for the confidence, when you beat everybody, it’s just great, because I think people start maybe to be a little bit scared about you. At the same time, sometimes there are going to be some that are going to want to beat you even more. It’s a tricky situation.”
Now into the second Grand Slam final of his career, Medvedev is in for his biggest test yet in the form of eight-time champion Novak Djokovic. On paper, he’s out of his league. Djokovic, after all, is seeking his 18th major singles title, one that would narrow the gap between himself and Big Three brethren Nadal and Roger Federer; Medvedev is still in pursuit of his first.
While he may be the hotter player, this one he’ll have to earn the hard way. Despite suffering an abdominal injury in his five-set tussle with Taylor Fritz in the third round, Djokovic appears to be rounding into his familiar title-grabbing form.
“Being in this situation before many times I think helps me kind of gather all the necessary elements for me to peak at the right time, which is happening again,” said Djokovic.
The top seed and two-time defending champion says he has no plans to hand over the title.
“When Novak says he’s not going to hand anything to somebody, I believe him,” said Medvedev, who convincingly straight-setted fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-finals, 6-4, 6-2, 7-5. “I know that to beat him you need to show your best tennis, be at your best physically maybe four or five hours and be at your best mentally maybe for five hours.
“You never know how the match is going to go. To win a Slam, especially against somebody like Novak, is already a big motivation, and I don’t think there’s anything that can make it bigger. I like Novak. I appreciate him as a tennis player. So I don’t take these words as something negative. I’m quite motivated without those words. I have nothing to lose, to be honest.”
Djokovic, 33, boasts a slight edge in ATP Head2Head encounters, 4-3, including a 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3 Round of 16 win on the hard courts of Melbourne Park in 2019. But it was Medvedev who claimed their most recent meeting at the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals, 6-3, 6-3. Should he find a way to outthink the World No. 1 again on Sunday, he will rise to No. 2 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, becoming the first player not named Djokovic, Nadal, Federer or Andy Murray to do so in a decade-and-a-half.
“Daniil Medvedev is the player to beat,” said Djokovic, who by defeating upstart Aslan Karatsev, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, maintained his unbeaten record in Australian Open semi-finals (9-0). “He’s on a big winning streak. He ended out the [2020] season in the best possible fashion, winning quite comfortably against the top players, against myself in straight sets in London, and he just has improved a lot. He has a big serve. For a tall guy, he moves extremely well. Forehand maybe was his weaker shot, but he has improved that, as well. Backhand is as good as it gets. He’s so solid. He doesn’t give you much. He’s not afraid nowadays to attack and get to the net and take it to his opponents. He’s definitely a very smart tennis player.”
Yes, Medvedev has the strokes, the firepower to give fits even to someone who’s owned Rod Laver Arena in recent years. But his best weapon might just be his mind.
Novak Djokovic is one victory away from writing another chapter in the Australian Open history books and claiming a record-extending ninth trophy at Melbourne Park.
It’s a Grand Slam “love affair” that has been 13 years in the making, comprising almost half of the Serbian’s 17 major titles. No other player has come close to Djokovic’s mastery in Melbourne: He has won 81 of the 89 matches he’s played (91%), including all eight finals.
In Sunday’s final against Daniil Medvedev, Djokovic will attempt to win three consecutive Australian Open titles for the second time (also 2011-2013).
ATPTour.com looks back at Djokovic’s eight triumphs in Melbourne Park to date, from his historic maiden crown in 2008 to his most recent victory in 2020.
2008
Djokovic made Serbian history when he became the first player from his country to win a Grand Slam at the 2008 Australian Open, but that was only the beginning. After years of promise, the 20-year-old broke through in Melbourne in a big way, turning heads with his baseline dominance as he reached his second consecutive Grand Slam final without dropping a set – including a crushing victory over World No. 1 and two-time defending champion Roger Federer in the semi-finals. Djokovic defeated an unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the championship match 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(2) to claim his first Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.
“[Up] to that point, I was a youngster that had a lot of potential and talent [and] was kind of working my way up. But winning a Slam is completely different,” Djokovic reflected years later. “It opened a lot of doors for me. It allowed me to believe in myself that I can actually win the biggest tournaments in the world and challenge the best players in the world.”
2011
Djokovic would have to wait three years for his second Grand Slam triumph, but once he cracked the code he would embark on a season that would go down in tennis history. Cutting out the gluten and dialing up the determination, Djokovic went from challenger to champion in 2011 when he lifted three of the four Grand Slam trophies and won five ATP Masters 1000 titles. He amassed a mind-boggling 70-6 win-loss record on the year – including a 41-match winning streak to start the season – and finished as World No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.
It all began in Melbourne Park, where the Serbian lost only one set the entire fortnight en route to the Australian Open title. Djokovic once again had to fight past the current No. 1 and defending champion Federer in the semi-finals, and overpowered Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 in the championship match.
2012
After a season that forever rewrote the tennis record books, 24-year-old Djokovic returned to the Australian Open in 2012 chasing down a more personal milestone: his first successful Grand Slam title defence.
Djokovic would have to achieve nearly inhuman feats of endurance to claim his fifth major crown. After being pushed to a close five sets by Murray in the semi-finals, the top-ranked Serbian then prevailed against Nadal in an epic war of attrition that took five hours and 53 minutes to complete. The longest Grand Slam singles final (in duration) in the Open Era ended at 1:37am on Monday with Djokovic ripping off his shirt and roaring in celebration.
Djokovic became the fifth man after Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, Federer and Nadal to win three consecutive majors in the Open Era; Nadal was his vanquished opponent in all three.
2013
Djokovic continued to make Melbourne Park his happy hunting ground when he became the first man in the Open Era to win three Australian Open titles in a row. His 2013 triumph was not without challenges, and the biggest test came from Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round. The Serbian was stretched to the limit before prevailing 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(5), 12-10. In the final, Djokovic overpowered Murray in a rematch of the 2011 Australian Open final. He faced a much bigger challenge from the reigning US Open champion this time around, but still came out on top after a 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-2 victory.
With his sixth Grand Slam title, Djokovic matched the likes of Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg as his name continued to climb up the men’s all-time Slam titles list.
2015
Djokovic was determined to restore order in Melbourne after suffering an upset in the 2014 quarter-finals to Wawrinka, the eventual champion. Back to his usual world-beating self when he ran into the Swiss player a year later in the semi-finals, he claimed revenge in a roller coaster battle 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0. Djokovic reestablished his grip on the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup with another victory against Murray in the final, closing out a perfect final set en route to a 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-0 victory.
The Serb’s eighth Slam title now tied him with Andre Agassi on the all-time list. But that was not his only reason to celebrate, after welcoming his firstborn Stefan with wife Jelena just three months earlier.
“I think it has deeper meaning, more intrinsic value now to my life because I’m a father and a husband,” Djokovic said of the victory.
2016
The milestones kept piling up for Djokovic as he clinched the 2016 Australian Open crown in the midst of a historic period of dominance. It was his third consecutive Grand Slam victory en route to the “Nole Slam”, which he would complete later that year at Roland Garros. Djokovic was rarely tested throughout the fortnight in Melbourne, navigating past Federer in the semi-finals and defeating Murray in their fourth championship match Down Under, 6-1, 7-5, 7-6(3).
After equalling Aussie legend Roy Emerson’s pre-Open Era record of six Australian Open singles titles, Djokovic shook off the idea that he was “invincible” at Melbourne Park.
“I don’t want to allow myself to be in that frame of mind,” he said in 2016. “Because if I do, the person becomes too arrogant and thinks that he’s a higher being or better than everybody else. You can get a big slap from karma very soon.”
2019
Djokovic’s words seemed to have become a self-fulfilling prophecy as the Serbian would spend two tumultuous years battling injury – including elbow surgery in 2018 – and suffering uncharacteristic defeats. Finally pain-free, he battled his way back to World No. 1 after falling out of the Top 20 in the FedEx ATP Rankings with back-to-back triumphs at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2018.
The 31-year-old was back to his winning ways in Melbourne, too. He cruised through the draw before handing long-time rival Nadal a crushing 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 defeat in their 53rd career clash to claim his 15th Grand Slam title. With the victory, Djokovic surpassed his childhood idol Pete Sampras for third place on the all-time Grand Slam title leaders’ list, behind Federer and Nadal.
“It was definitely a sign of destiny to start playing tennis, to aspire to be as good as Pete,” Djokovic said. “To surpass him with Grand Slam titles, I’m speechless.”
2020
Djokovic captured his eighth Australian Open title after maneuvering through a tough draw to return to the No. 1 spot in the FedEx ATP Rankings. He earned the 900th tour-level match win of his career in his opener against Jan-Lennard Struff, needing four sets to see off the German. Milos Raonic and nemesis Federer pushed him to tie-breaks but were ultimately defeated in straight sets. 26-year-old Dominic Thiem was waiting in the final, eager to claim his first Grand Slam title after reaching two previous finals. Djokovic would make him wait a little longer as he captured his 17th major crown with a 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph.
Shortly after his 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 victory against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian Open semi-finals, Daniil Medvedev turned his attention towards his final opponent at Melbourne Park: eight-time champion Novak Djokovic.
Medvedev showcased his best level inside Rod Laver Arena on Friday night, as he neutralised Tsitsipas’ game for the majority of their two-hour, nine-minute clash and struck 46 winners en route to victory. But despite his strong form, Medvedev believes that he will enter the championship match as the underdog, given his opponent’s 17-0 unbeaten record from the semi-final stage at this event.
“[Djokovic] is the favourite because… [in the] eight occasions that he was in the semi-finals, he won the tournament… I’m the challenger, the guy that challenges the guy who was eight times in the final and won eight times. I’m happy about it,” said Medvedev.
“I like to play against Novak. Since the first [match], when I was ranked No. 63 [in the FedEx ATP Rankings], we always had tough matches physically [and] mentally. He’s one of the greatest tennis players in the history of tennis, so playing a final against him is superb. I’m really happy about it… I have nothing to lose, to be honest.”
When Medvedev steps onto the court on Sunday, he will be attempting to level his ATP Head2Head series against the World No. 1 at 4-4. En route to the biggest title of his career to date, Medvedev won his most recent encounter with Djokovic 6-3, 6-3 at last year’s Nitto ATP Finals.
When asked what the most difficult aspect of playing against Djokovic is, Medvedev pinpointed the top seed’s ability to cut errors out of his game and vary his attack. It is a quality Medvedev also sees in himself.
“When [Djokovic] is in the zone, he doesn’t miss,” said Medvedev. “He goes down the line, [he goes] cross court, [he hits the] forehand, [the] backhand, he doesn’t miss. That’s the toughest part of playing against him. I think that’s where I should be good also and that’s where my game is good… That’s why some matches that we played are really unbelievable matches. A few times I saw the highlights, and I was, like, ‘Wow, this level is unbelievable.’ That’s what I have to do to keep up with him on Sunday,”
Medvedev will enter his second Grand Slam final on the longest tour-level winning streak of his career. With his semi-final win against Tsitsipas, the Russian became the sixth active player to win 20 consecutive tour-level matches. The only other active players to have achieved the feat are Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro.
One of the most impressive aspects of Medvedev’s run has been the quality of opposition he has faced. Across his 20 wins, he has faced a Top 10 opponent on 12 occasions.
”When you beat everybody, [it] is just great, because I think people start maybe to be a little bit scared [of] you,” said Medvedev. “At the same time, sometimes there are going to be some [players] that are going to want to beat you even more. It’s a tricky situation, but I’m happy I managed to be on top in all [of] those 20 matches.”
Medvedev will enter his eighth ATP Head2Head encounter against Djokovic high on confidence. While he may feel that he played better in his quarter-final win over countryman Andrey Rublev than he did against Tsitsipas, the 25-year-old believes he may have hit one of the best shots of his career towards the end of his semi-final triumph.
On break point at 5-5 in the third set, Medvedev charged across the baseline and threaded a backhand passing shot up the line to break Tsitsipas and serve for a place in the championship match. Despite being well-known for his muted celebrations after big wins, the Moscow native let out a roar and waved his arms at the crowd.
“I wanted the [crowd] to recognize me, because the shot was unbelievable,” said Medvedev. “I think [it was] one of my best shots in my career. My legs were facing the other way of the court because I didn’t have time, so I have no idea how I made this [shot], and I was really happy about it.”
As he attempts to become the first Russian men’s singles champion at the Australian Open since Marat Safin in 2005, Medvedev believes the lessons he learned from his epic five-set US Open final loss to Rafael Nadal in 2019 may help him get across the line on Sunday.
If the final in Melbourne goes deep into a fifth set, as it did when Djokovic beat Dominic Thiem 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 last year, Medvedev will not be heading into the unknown.
“I played one Grand Slam final already,” said Medvedev. “For sure, [I] was tight in many moments there. Sometimes it helped me; sometimes not. I know what it is like, and I know how it is going to be on Sunday. Experience is the key… Experience from the last Grand Slam final is going to be a big key to not get tight and to just play again.”
Watch the best shots from Daniil Medvedev’s 6-4 6-2 7-5 demolition of Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the Australian Open final.
