|
The world of tennis is celebrating a new name on the honour roll of major winners. Jannik Sinner has put his name into the record and history books with a come from behind victory at the Australian Open. In three hours 44 minutes the lanky red-haired 22-year-old Italian won the year's first major with a 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 result over Daniil Medvedev.
Sinner is the first Italian to win an Australian Open singles title and he is only the third Italian man to claim one of the majors joining Nicola Pietrangeli, now in his 90's, who won back-to-back Roland Garros titles in 1959-60, and Adriano Panatta who also won Roland Garros in 1976.
Sinner is the youngest male winner since Novak Djokovic in 2008 to win; it was Djokovic who he beat in the semifinals in four sets which was his third win over the world No.1 from four matches.
"For sure it takes a little while to process everything. I'm extremely happy how I handled things today. The situation on court was very, very tough," Sinner said. "I think the most important part was the support I had throughout these two weeks. I felt that many, many people were watching also from home in the TV, so I just tried my best. I was a little bit in trouble today with two sets to love down and in a little bit over one hour.
"So, I just tried to stay positive, trying to sticking to the game plan, which I had to adjust a little bit. Daniil is an incredible player, and he showed this also today again an incredible fighter. He spent so many hours on court. So, I'm obviously sorry for him today, but for sure he will lift some more Grand Slam trophies."
For the first 100 minutes or so it seemed like it was going to be third time lucky for Medvedev who had previously lost Australian Open finals to Djokovic and in 2022 to Rafa Nadal, when Medvedev was also up two sets to love.
"Yeah, different feeling, different circumstances, I would say. Now I'm dreaming more than ever, probably not today, but in general in life," Medvedev said. "But I would say it's not anymore a kid who is dreaming.
"It's me myself right now, a 27-year-old who is dreaming, and who's doing everything that is possible for my future and for my present. I love it. That's why I made it to the final. I wanted to win. I was close. Was I really close or not? Tough to say, but was not far. Yeah, the scoreline is similar but I think the match would be a bit different."
Medvedev took Sinner by surprise the way the match started. He was so aggressive that Sinner was struggling to find any openings but thigs began to turn in the third set when he broke serve to win the set. But it was when the Italian broke the third seed in the fourth set to level the match, he felt he was on his way and it was going to be his championship.
So many of the returns he played were breathtaking. The ball was being hit like a bazooka down the line and crosscourt. It was mesmerising to watch Sinner's confidence levels going up and up. The table had been turned completely. He said: "I started to feel like, okay, I'm there. I can do it."
There is a sorry feeling for Medvedev, he was so close. Being in a major final is an incredible but for him it's not enough, this was his third time.
"I think sympathy is always nice," he said. "I didn't have time to answer, but I really got a lot of friends, some text me after everyone match, some other tennis players, my friends, some of them 200, 300, and some of them I saw already the messages, I'm proud of you, bro, or big man hug to you and stuff like this. You read these messages, and that's a nice feeling. That's a nice feeling after a tough loss."
The doubles title went to Rohan Bopanna and Matt Ebden, they defeated Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6, 7-5. For Bopanna, who became the oldest man to be ranked No.1, and Ebden this is their first Australian Open title.
| 
