Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner will fight for their maiden Australian Open title on Sunday, January 28. The two finalists have made the Australian Open 2024 Final ahead of the top seeds and favorites for the title, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.
Third seed Medvedev is coming off a spectacular comeback win over sixth seed Alexander Zverev after going down two sets in the semifinal on Friday. Meanwhile, Sinner will be riding high after beating No. 1 and reigning champion Novak Djokovic in a spectacular 4-set win.
Daniil Medvedev vs Jannik Sinner: Form and Fatigue
If comparing the two based on form, it’ll be tough to determine a sure-shot winner. Both have made their way to the final by beating quality opponents.
Medvedev has beaten the 27th, 9th, and 6th seeds, while Sinner has defeated the 26th, 14th, 5th, and 1st seeds. On the basis of these results, one might give a nod to Sinner for beating two top-five opponents, Novak Djokovic and Andrey Rublev.
Daniil Medvedev has claimed just one straight-set win, while Sinner has lost just one set on his way to the final. The Russian has either started slow, like his second round and semifinal matches, or struggled to finish off his opponents (fourth round and quarterfinal).
On the other hand, Jannik Sinner has been nothing but clutch. Having already mentioned that he’s lost just one set (that too to Djokovic), Sinner has only played two tiebreakers in 19 sets. This shows that he’s hardly allowed his opponents to push himself to the limit, gaining the upper hand before they get a chance.
When it comes to fatigue, Sinner is once again ahead. The Italian has spent just 14 hours and 44 minutes on court, compared to Medvedev’s 20 hours and 33 minutes. If the match goes longer than three sets, one has to assume that Sinner will have fresher legs.
Daniil Medvedev vs Jannik Sinner: Game Style and Mental Fortitude
Having already mentioned how Sinner is ahead based on form and fatigue, let’s compare their game styles.
Judging by the eye test, Daniil Medvedev has a better serve than Jannik Sinner. But he’s won just 82% of his service games, while Sinner has dropped just 2% of his games on serve.
Medvedev looks to extend rallying and extract errors; however, this time he has conceded 117 games. Sinner, on the other hand, has dropped just 50 games.
Sinner hits his forehand faster, while Medvedev leads in backhand consistency and changes of direction. Sinner’s aggressive games and net play are better, while Medvedev is clearly ahead in defensive abilities.
The Italian likes to take time away from his opponent. His fast and heavy strokes stop the opponents from executing their shots with precision, while the Russian is a masterful tactician. He uses pace variations and angles and likes to hang at least a couple of meters behind the baseline, while Sinner tends to hug the baseline.
Sinner is playing his maiden Grand Slam final, while Medvedev will play his Australian and sixth overall final at the Grand Slams. With this experience of the big moment, one has to give the edge to the Russian. His three-five-set matches also showcase his mental fortitude, while Sinner slipped (third set against Djokovic) the only time he has faced some pressure.
Editors pick
