Ah! Tennis, this sport where everything can change in one exchange. Jannik Sinner wasn’t himself until the third inning. Then, suddenly, he regained his senses and his confidence. The Italian won a round, then two, then three, to capture, at the age of 22, his first career Grand Slam title on Sunday in Melbourne. An entire country is celebrating.
Sinner did the same blow to Daniil Medvedev that the latter did to Alexander Zverev in the semi-final. That of coming back from the dead to win in five sets of 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 and 6-3. A great duel which lasted 3 hours 44 minutes.
After his final blow, at the end of a long and spectacular comeback against a formidable opponent, Sinner let himself fall in celebration. The young man, not very expressive, did not shed any tears, but his little smile, with the big trophy at the end of his arms, said it all.
PHOTO TRACEY NEARMY, REUTERS
After his final blow, Sinner dropped down in celebration
The champion obviously thanked the members of his team, before delivering a moving testimony to his parents.
“I wish everyone could have parents like mine because they always let me choose what I wanted to do,” he suggested. Even when I was young, I played other sports. They never put pressure on me. I would like this freedom to be possible for as many children as possible. »
Previously, Sinner had offered such a good testimony to Medvedev, claiming to improve each time he competes against him.
“You make me a much better player,” he said. Your effort has been fantastic throughout the fortnight and also today; you were running for all the balls. It’s amazing. I hope you too can lift this trophy. In fact, I’m sure you can. I wish you the best for the rest of the season. »
PHOTO ASANKA BRENDON RATNAYAKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev
Sinner thus becomes the first Italian to win a Grand Slam tournament since 1976. No small feat.
And as if to remind us that he is only 22 years old, the young man ended his speech on a funny note. ” That’s all. I do not know what to say anymore. We’ll see you again next year,” he said candidly, provoking laughter in the stadium.
Fatigue and the click
Sinner didn’t have anything ready in his mouth. The young man, who defeated Novak Djokovic in the semi-final, worked tirelessly to achieve this triumph.
From the start, Medvedev appeared authoritarian, which is not his habit at the start of the match. The big Russian was aggressive and insistent, in front of a young Sinner who was somewhat helpless. You would never have guessed that Medvedev played a long and arduous semi-final against Zverev on Friday.
The Russian demonstrated the full extent of his talent in the first two rounds. On the backhand, on the volley, even on the forehand, his game was on point. Sinner, perhaps mentally affected by the magnitude of the match, took some time before regaining the confidence we know him to have.
Was it exhaustion that gripped Medvedev in the third round, or was it Sinner who had something clicked? Probably a bit of both. While he had a 5-4 lead in the third set, the young Italian broke his opponent to take the set. This is where everything changed.
PHOTO LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Daniel Medvedev
Medvedev left the field, taking a break before the next round, but he did not return with renewed energy, on the contrary. Suddenly the Russian was off. He played more from the back of the field, ran less towards the balls, broke down in long rallies. We are still talking here about the player who spent the most hours on the pitch during this fortnight. More than 24, to be more precise.
Little by little, Sinner returned. The young man gained confidence. He moved better, hit better, responded better. At a certain point, you could almost feel the shortness of breath and the physical pain of Medvedev, who never gave up, great competitor that he is.
When Sinner broke serve to take a 4-2 lead in the final set, there was no longer any question of escaping this match. The Italian stayed the course until finally achieving the winning shot.
Let the beginning
Daniil Medvedev has nothing to be ashamed of for his performance, this being his sixth career Grand Slam final. He was trying to win his second trophy of this magnitude after that of the United States Open in 2021.
Fatigue got the better of the Russian.
“It always hurts to lose in the final, but probably it’s better to lose in the final than before,” he said on the microphone after the match. “I would always like to win,” he continued. […] I’m proud of myself, and I’ll try harder next time. »
As for Sinner, he is the first outside the “Big 3” to win the Australian Open since 2014. He did it with panache. And it’s still only the beginning.