Medvedev beats Tsitsipas, in final

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev lived up to Novak Djokovic’s praise as the “man to beat” at the Australian Open when he charged into his first Melbourne Park final with an impressive 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday.

The rangy Medvedev wrapped the Greek fifth seed in a blanket of pressure at a floodlit Rod Laver Arena, capturing his 20th successive victory and 12th straight over top 10 opponents to earn a shot at ending Djokovic’s dynasty in Sunday’s decider.

Fourth seed Medvedev served like a machine until broken in the third set, which revived the Greek fans in the terraces as Tsitsipas roared to a 5-4 lead. But the Russian silenced a hostile crowd with the decisive break in the 11th game, then smacked a forehand into the corner on his first match point to seal it.

“I’m happy to manage to keep my nerves because still I didn’t make so many bad shots,” Medvedev said. “I just tried to hit aces and winners or put the ball in the court. That’s the only way to do (it). That’s how I was in the match.” World number one Djokovic, who beat Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev to reach the final, will be a formidable opponent for Medvedev in his second Grand Slam showpiece match.

Serbian Djokovic is bidding for a record-extending ninth Australian Open title and has never lost a final in Melbourne.

For Tsitsipas, the defeat was not as bitter as his 2019 semi-final demolition by Rafa Nadal.

Yet he paid the price for another slow start, with Medvedev doing what Nadal could not in his five-set quarter-final loss to Tsitsipas this week—slamming the door on the Greek’s revival. Tsitsipas has now lost three Grand Slam semis, including a five-set loss to Djokovic at last year’s French Open.

After his taxing win over Nadal, the Greek said he felt beaten after two sets against Medvedev, and was not sure winning the third would have helped.