October 5, 2024
Daniil Medvedev produced an unbelievable performance to book his place in the finals of 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne on Friday.
The 27-year-old Russian came from two-sets-to-love down for the fourth time in his career when he moved past long-term rival Alexander Zverev 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 6-3 to reach his third Australian Open final.
Meeting for the 19th time but first at a major, Medvedev was two points away from defeat in the fourth-set tie-break but stayed composed, eventually advancing to his sixth Slam title match after a four-hour and 18-minute epic inside a lively Rod Laver Arena.
“First set honestly I think we both didn’t play that good,” Medvedev said. “The second set I thought I played a bit better than the first set. He played very well, 6-3, two breaks, I didn’t have chances on his serve. I was a little bit lost but during the third set I said if I was going to lose this match I was going to be proud of myself. I want to fight until the end and if I lose I lose and I managed to win and I am very proud.”
The 2021 US Open champion, who now leads Zverev 12-7 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, will aim to clinch his second major trophy when he takes on Italian Jannik Sinner on Sunday after the fourth seed defeated record-10-time champ Novak Djokovic in four sets.
“Impressive,” Medvedev said when asked about Sinner’s run. “He was 1/5 against Andrey [Rublev] in the tie-break and he won the tie-break. Beat Novak, who was 10-0 in the semi-finals on these courts, so very impressive. I need to recover well and be 100 per cent on Sunday.”
With his 27th match win in Melbourne Park, Medvedev is the 13th man in the Open Era to reach the Australian Open final on three or more occasions, having lost in 2021 and in 2022, when he led Rafael Nadal by two sets.
Daniil Medvedev who is at World No.3 in the ATP Rankings will now meet World No.4 Jannik Sinner for the title on Sunday.
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