Medvedev battles back to make Australian Open final
MELBOURNE: Daniil Medvedev battled into a third Australian Open final Friday with a comefrom-behind five-set defeat of Alexander Zverev to set up a title match against Jannik Sinner.
The never-say-die Russian third seed was in a precarious position on Rod Laver Arena but fought back to win 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 after four hours 18 minutes.
Ice-cool Italian Sinner will be awaiting him in Sunday’s title match after stunning defending champion Novak Djokovic in the other semi-final. Medvedev has been to the final twice before, losing to Djokovic in 2021 and Rafael Nadal a year later.
It has been a long and arduous road to get back there, with the 27-year-old surviving two fourset battles and a pair of five-set matches before meeting Zverev.
But he proved once again to have the stamina, grinding down the sixth seed to keep alive his quest to collect a second Grand Slam title after winning the 2021 US Open.
He admitted he was “a little bit lost” in the opening two sets.
“But during the third set I just kept saying to myself that if I lose this match I just want to be proud of myself,” said the 27year-old, who is into his sixth final at a major. “I want to fight until the end, fight for every point. And I managed to win and I’m very proud.”
Sinner terminated Djokovic’s bid for tennis immortality at the Australian Open, ending the Serb’s record 33-match winning run at Melbourne Park and his bid for a 25th Grand Slam title.
The Italian fourth seed was unfazed by dropping his first set of the tournament against the king of Rod Laver Arena, winning 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 to reach a first Grand Slam final.
“It was a very, tough match,” said Sinner. “I started off really well. He missed in the first two sets. I felt like he was not feeling that great on court so I just tried to keep pushing.”