Jannik Sinner found himself behind by two sets in his inaugural grand slam final, causing his aspirations of achieving his ultimate goal to dwindle rapidly. He appeared completely bewildered. During breaks in play, he exchanged prolonged, contemplative glances with his team. At one point, he even expressed to them that he felt defeated. Sinner’s lack of experience was in stark contrast to the savvy tactics of Daniil Medvedev, who seemed to have a clear plan of action.
However, Sinner delved much deeper than previous attempts and, miraculously, was able to slowly reverse his luck.
Despite facing the possibility of losing, the 22-year-old fourth seed managed to achieve an incredible comeback and defeat Medvedev with a final score of 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. This victory also marks the player’s first grand slam title.
Sinner expressed that it took some time to process everything, but he was very pleased with how he handled things during the match. He faced a tough situation on court, but the support he received throughout the past two weeks was crucial. He felt that many people were watching from home and he gave his best effort. Despite being down two sets and facing a time crunch, he remained positive.
Sinner’s impressive victory makes him the third Italian man to earn a grand slam championship, breaking a drought that has lasted since Adriano Panatta’s win in 1976. At just 22 years and 165 days old, he is now the youngest male player to claim an Australian Open title since Novak Djokovic in 2008. He joins Carlos Alcaraz as the only two men born in the 2000s to achieve this feat. This fact highlights the continued dominance of the “Big Three” in tennis, and how they have prevented a new generation from achieving their dreams. Remarkably, there are only two male players born in the 1990s who have also won a grand slam title.
Medvedev is one of two players who has been unsuccessful in his pursuit of a second title. Despite his efforts, he ultimately faced defeat in the end. Despite overcoming multiple setbacks and pushing himself to the maximum, he was unable to secure the win.
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In the 2022 final, Medvedev held a two-set lead over Rafael Nadal in the same stadium. This makes him the first player to lose two major finals after being up by two sets. His record in grand slam finals is now 1-5. Despite the devastating loss, Medvedev maintained his positive and reflective attitude, as is characteristic of him.
“It can be incredibly difficult when you have a winning mindset, a competitive mentality, to experience defeat in the final,” he expressed. “It may sting more than losing in earlier rounds. However, it’s important to find the silver lining, which is that reaching the final is better than making it to the semi-finals or quarter-finals. That’s the only positive I can take away from this.”
Few finals have been preceded by such starkly contrasting paths. No player has played more sets (31) or spent more time on the court in the history of grand slam tennis than Medvedev, who finished with 24hr 17min on the clock with four five-setters, two recoveries from two sets down and multiple matches in searing heat. Sinner, meanwhile, had destroyed all challengers, dropping only a set before the final, and that against Djokovic, the defending champion.
The nerves of a first grand slam final can be unmatched, causing players to forget their usual form. Medvedev showed his experience right from the start, dominating with powerful shots from both sides and strong serving while staying close to the baseline. Sinner struggled to keep up, resulting in Medvedev taking a commanding 6-3, 5-1 lead.
Sinner was only able to relax when the match started to move quickly. He gained more confidence as he hit the ball with greater ease, turning the score from 1-5 to 3-5 and earning two break points to put Medvedev on the defensive. Although Medvedev ultimately won the set, this was a promising start for Sinner. He found his rhythm on his first serve and smoothly held his service games in the third set, keeping a small lead. “I focused on staying in the court as long as possible, knowing that he had already spent a lot of time playing,” Sinner said afterwards.
In the third set, with a score of 5-4 and his opponent feeling the pressure, Sinner rose to the challenge. As Medvedev’s initial serve faltered and mistakes were made, the Italian was able to unleash his shots with more confidence. He dominated the baseline and forced a fourth set.
The match drastically changed as Sinner’s confidence grew, causing him to move closer to the baseline and hit powerful groundstrokes. Medvedev struggled in the fourth set and was unable to handle the intense pressure. Sinner made impressive returns and finished strong with a forehand, leading to a final set.
In the last round, Medvedev appeared fatigued after playing over 24 hours throughout the tournament, while Sinner seemed to have just begun. The crucial break occurred quickly when Sinner hit a powerful forehand shot, allowing him to take a 4-2 lead. He maintained this lead until the end, solidifying his place in the history books.
