Australian Open: Sinner overthrows Medvedev to claim first Grand Slam title

Jannik Sinner first! At 22, the Italian bagged his first Grand Slam title and became the first player from his country to triumph in Melbourne. He was currently struggling to win his matches in five sets. From ancient history. Physically fresher than his opponent (31 sets in the legs in Australia, a record), Sinner was able to overthrow the Russian, although he was used to long fights. The latter lost a second final at the Australian Open after leading 2 sets to 0. Unheard of in the Open era. Tense by the stakes at the start of the final, Sinner gradually got back into his match before knocking down Medvedev with a final winning forehand.

The baptism was painful for Jannik Sinner for his first Grand Slam final. An impressive knockout of Novak Djokovic in the previous round, Jannik Sinner had won in his last three confrontations against Medvedev. Before the final, the Russian had spent more than 20 hours on the courts, playing three matches in five sets. The Italian, impressive in his mastery, had only dropped one set (against Djokovic) and had six hours less in his legs. However, it was Medvedev who was the freshest player on the court in the first two sets.

The Italian was discovering this stage of Grand Slam competition. His lack of experience showed at the start of the match. Sinner, tense, was overtaken by the 3rd player in the world, already five Grand Slam finals under the clock. Medvedev stole the opponent's serve in the third game. Not very comfortable with his throws, the Italian passed only 54% of first balls in the first act. Quite the opposite of his opponent (86%). And it is logical that the student of Gilles Cervara, much more aggressive (14 winning points to 5) took the opposing service twice to take the first round 6-3.

From the start of the second round, Sinner worked to erase four break points in a long game of 11 minutes. The Muscovite's domination then materialized with a double break. Sinner only winning 50% of his points on his first balls. With his back to the wall, trailing 5-1, Djokovic's scorer took over the opponent's service the first time, but not twice. Serene like Medvedev who completed the second act (6-3) after 1 hour 25 of an unbalanced fight.

More suspense in the third set. The Transalpine team finally easily won its service games (89% of points on its firsts). And the tide turned when Sinner seized the Russian's serve in the tenth game on his first break opportunity of the set and the match (6-4).

The standoff became very intense in the fourth set. A little tired, the Russian saved a break point in the fourth game. Despite a poor percentage of firsts (46%), Sinner, for his part, continued the quiet games on his faceoffs, with the exception of seventh game, where he had to erase two break opportunities. And as in the third act, the fresher Italian was able to make the difference at the best moment. Deprived of first balls, Medvedev cracked a forehand on the opponent's first ball, finding himself embroiled in a perilous fifth set. More and more imprecise in the exchange (12 faults in the 4th set), in the physically tough Medvedev paid his overtime on the courts. In great pain, at the end of his strength, Medvedev had to draw on his mental strength and his quality of first balls to get through this match. And Sinner gained the upper hand over his opponent, not letting go of his lead break to have the last word.

This unprecedented final will go down in history since it was the first time since 2005 that neither Nadal, Djokovic or Federer was present in the final of the Australian Open....