Medvedev’s mind games
‘PRESSURE IS ON DJOKOVIC’
DANIIL MEDVEDEV says all the pressure will be on Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final tomorrow.
The Russian silenced a raucous pro-Greek Melbourne crowd to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 in yesterday’s second semi-final in Melbourne.
But to win his first Grand Slam, the world No4 now faces the Olympian task of ending the reign of the eight-time champion
Djokovic at his favourite Major. Bookies cannot pick a winner with the Muscovite on a 20-match winning run that has seen him beat every other member of the top 10 since November, apart from the injured Roger Federer.
He has now won against world No1 Djokovoc in three of their past four matches. But in a build-up like that before a heavyweight boxing fight, 25-year-old Medvedev started the pre-match mind games before he had left the Rod Laver Arena after his Tsitsipas triumph. Djokovic, 33, is seeking an 18th Grand Slam singles title to edge closer to the male record of 20 held by Federer and Rafa Nadal. Medvedev, who revels in the role of pantomime villain, said: “I think he’s the favourite. I like that I don’t have a lot of pressure, because he has never lost in eight times he was here in the final.
“So it is him who has all the pressure, getting to the record of Roger and Rafa in the Grand Slams. I just hope I am going to get out there and show my best tennis.As we see, I can win against some big names if I play good. For sure he has more experience, but more things to lose.” Djokovic called 2019 US Open runner-up Medvedev the “man to beat” before the semi-finals.And in a Eurosport interview he said: “The pressure is always there, it’s part of what we do. “There has been a lot of talk about the new generations coming and taking over from the three of us but realistically that isn’t happening. I’m not going to stand here and hand it over to them.” Medvedev responded: “I believe him. I don’t take these words as something negative. I’m quite motivated without those words.”
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GARY Hetherington insists it will take years for the sport to recover from the past 12 months.
Super League kicks off behind closed doors on March 26, having defied the odds to complete the 2020 campaign without fans.
Leeds chief executive Hetherington said: “We’ve come out of last year, although we have taken a significant loan through the Government’s initiative with the RFL. Everybody has made significant sacrifices, including fans and our corporate partners. “It’s another challenging year ahead – and it will be even more challenging the longer we go without crowds. We’re hoping fans will be allowed back in soon to help us get back on track because it will take several years – but there is light at the end of the tunnel.”