Italian international Jannik Sinner clinched the Grand Slam title in a stand style after coming back from two sets down to defeat Daniil Medvedev 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-3 in a men’s singles final in Australian Open final, Melbourne.
Medvedev who has been beaten twice before in the final on Rod Laver Arena against Novak Djokovic in 2021 and Rafael Nadal in 2022 respectively ,has now become the first men’s player in history to lose two Grand Slam finals when leading with two sets up.
Yannick sinner’s successful and special final victory was inspired by his triumph over world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and also ending novak’s 33-match winning streak at the AO in the semi-final
Medvedev raced to a two-set lead, initially piling pressure on the young Italian who was left defending from every corner of the court in the wake of the No. 3 seed’s precise, aggressive approach.
Such drama provided a fitting finale for a tournament that has featured an incredible 35 five-set thrillers, equaling the Open Era record for any grand slam.
The 22-year-old Sinner found a way to turn defence into attack in his first major final to take the Australian Open title from Daniil Medvedev by readjusting his tactics and began outlasting his opponent during longer rallies.
That momentum carried Sinner along the last two sets as he overturned the results and became the youngest male player to ever win the Australian Open since 2008, as well as just the third Italian man to ever clinch the grand slam title
Suddenly, he had won the third set, breaking Medvedev for the first time as the Russian served to stay in the set and the tide began to shift.
“I am very proud,” Sinner said. “It was a very tough match. He started off really well, he moved me around the court. I could not make my game plan work but somehow in the third set I was looking for the small chances, which I used. The match changed and I am really happy with how I corrected it. There are so many emotions right now. I have to sit down and process it but an unbeliveable feeling.” Sinner added.
At 22 years and 165 days, Sinner is the youngest man to win the Australian Open since record 10-time champion Djokovic in 2008 and the second man born in the 2000s to win a Grand Slam title after Carlos Alcaraz (US Open 2022, Wimbledon 2023).
Sinner, a national giant slalom runner-up as a junior at the age of 12 decided to focus solely on tennis . He claimed he had to move away from his family two years later.
“I went away from home when I was 14 years old. So I had to grow up quite fast, trying to cook for myself, trying to do laundry,” Sinner said.
“That was maybe the fastest way to grow up.”
Despite being away from his parents, Sinner’s coaches say his “wonderful” mother and father have brought him up “really well”.
“What you see of Jannik on the court is incredibly respectful, whether it be to the umpires or ball-kids or lines-people, anybody around,” Darren Cahill said.
“He’s got his feet on the ground. His parents are exactly the same as him.”
Medvedev who lost the young lad 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.”
Now Italy have a new men’s Grand Slam winner in Sinner, who already made history when he won them their first Davis Cup title for 47 years after handing Djokovic defeat in the final of the men’s team event.
With his victory, Sinner joins the ranks of Italy’s grand slam winning players alongside Nicola Pietrangeli and Adriano Panatta.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Pius Asack|Ghana
