When Alexander Zverev first began to work his way up the ATP rankings as a precocious teenager tipped for greatness, Daniil Medvedev was nowhere to be seen. Medvedev took far longer than his peers to reach the top of his sport and, even when he finally did, he was still an afterthought compared with those with flashier games and years of hype.
Despite facing several challenges, Medvedev has solidified himself as the most exceptional player of his era after successfully reaching the top. On Friday night, he proved his dominance yet again by defeating Zverev in a remarkable five-set match, coming back from a two-set deficit to secure his spot in the Australian Open final with a final score of 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3.
Medvedev is aiming to secure his second grand slam title, three years after his first at the US Open in 2021. He will compete against Jannik Sinner in the final, following the Italian’s four-set victory over top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic. This will be Medvedev’s third Australian Open final and his sixth grand slam final overall, but it will be the first time he faces an opponent other than Djokovic or Rafael Nadal. Medvedev expressed optimism for his chances, stating “third time lucky, so let’s see.” However, he also acknowledged that this is not always the case based on his past experiences, but he hopes it will work in his favor this time.
This recent return marks the most recent dramatic event in Medvedev’s eventful journey through the Australian Open bracket. He has already made a comeback from being two sets down against Emil Ruusuvuori in the second round, with the match concluding at 3:40am. He then went on to defeat the ninth seed, Hubert Hurkacz, in a grueling five-set match and has persevered through multiple intense matches in the hot Australian weather. Despite it all, he continues to stand strong.
Medvedev stated that he has become stronger as a result of the tournament, realizing his potential for things he once doubted. He also acknowledged that he had not previously achieved such success in reaching the final.
Medvedev’s recent win against Zverev reinforces the idea that he has a strong psychological advantage over the German. Although Zverev initially had the upper hand in their first four encounters, Medvedev has strategically shifted the balance of their head-to-head record and has emerged victorious in 11 out of their last 13 matches.
For two sets, Zverev exploited Medvedev’s passive play and deep court positioning by consistently moving forward to the net. As defeat neared though, Medvedev burst into life. He moved closer to the baseline, taking the ball earlier and taking time away from his opponent. In both tiebreaks, Medvedev kept himself alive by producing some incredible clutch tennis.
During the fourth set tiebreak with a score of 4-4, the Russian player made a double fault, giving Zverev the opportunity to win the match with his serve. However, Medvedev surprised everyone with a fantastic forehand winner, followed by an unintentional but impressive drop shot return winner off Zverev’s first serve. He then sealed the tiebreak with an ace.
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As Zverev faced physical challenges and became emotionally unstable, the end result became clear in the final set. Medvedev’s crucial and expected break occurred at 2-2 on Zverev’s serve as the German’s forehand deteriorated. The third-ranked player in the world seized the only break of serve in the last set and confidently held his own service games to achieve a remarkable victory.
Zverev’s upcoming tournament was announced alongside the news that he will be going to court in May for accusations of physical abuse against his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Brenda Patea. Zverev has denied these allegations.
The trial for the German player is scheduled to commence on May 31 and continue until July 19. This means that during his next participation in a grand slam tournament, he will likely be in the midst of his trial. When asked if the news affected his focus on tennis, Zverev replied, “No, because as I’ve mentioned before, anyone with a moderate level of intelligence can comprehend the situation. I hope that most of you understand as well. I am at peace with it,” he stated.
Source: theguardian.com
