For just the second time since 2019, a name other than Novak Djokovic will win the Australian Open as Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev contest the final of the men’s singles.
But was it a lack of preparation that perfectly prepared the pair for a Melbourne Park breakthrough?
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KYRGIOS BRANDS GRAND SLAM FINAL DEBUTANT ‘THE NEW NOVAK’
If a bold prediction from Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is anything to go by, Jannik Sinner is at the start of what could be a fruitful spell as the new king of Melbourne.
As he watched Sinner dismantle ten-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, Kyrgios prophesised the Italian “could be the new Novak”, so comprehensive was the four-set dismantling.
Sinner brushed aside Djokovic 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 to progress into his first grand slam final and potentially usher in a new era of dominance in Melbourne.
The win over Djokovic also continued the steep, upward trajectory of Sinner’s career since bringing renowned Australian coach Darren Cahill into his tight-knit team.
Kyrgios felt the addition of Cahill has been vital in aiding Sinner’s ascension which, if his prediction rings true, could reach stratospheric heights.
“The changes he [coach Darren Cahill] has made in his [Sinner’s] game and the willingness for Sinner to give him a try has now elevated him to the top of the sport,” Kyrgios told Eurosport.
“He’s beaten Novak – no one has done [that] here in so long. In that fashion as well, Novak didn’t even create one break point.
“I love the fact that Sinner compared; him and Novak play similar, and I can see it. After today, I think Sinner could be the new Novak.”
HOW DOING NOTHING DID A LOT
Is entering the Australian Open fresh the secret to success?
The debate has raged for years as to what the best preparation for achieving success in the Australian Open is, and as with so much, the debate often raged along state lines.
The Hopman Cup was considered an ideal environment.
The atmosphere was as relaxed as some of the matches but the often scorching conditions were considered ideal to adjust to an Australian summer.
The Kooyong Classic, too, laid claim to boasting the perfect preparation given the events proximity to Melbourne Park and ability to draw elite talent, as proved the case this year.
And there were those who preferred the cut and thrust of building match toughness in regular ATP and WTA Tour events across the country and in New Zealand.
This year, it seems, less is more when it comes to success in the Australian Open in the men’s singles.
After a taxing tournament complete with midnight madness and marathon matches, the two remaining combatants happen to be among the rare few to arrive in Melbourne feeling fresh.
As 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic and other stars including Alexander Zverev and Alex de Minuar were slugging it out in the United Cup, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner opted for a different approach to the year’s first grand slam.
The Italian sensation, who played until late November when leading his country to a drought-breaking Davis Cup success, preferred a couple of warm-up matches at Kooyong.
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Medvedev, who has proven an ironman over the past fortnight when spending more than 20 hours on the court to progress to the final, similarly opted against a proper lead-in event.
Whether it works for Medvedev remains to be seen, with his coach Gilles Cervera suspecting on Friday the Russian might have enjoyed a smoother ride if more match ready.
“Tonight it’s a good decision and let’s see on Sunday if it would be a good decision,” he said.
“But I think that if he (had) played some matches before, it could (have) helped him to start better in the tournament. That’s my feeling. So we will talk about this after the tournament.
“But again, sometimes … you have to choose between different things. (For example) if I come earlier to Australia, I know that I won’t have enough holidays and I need these holidays to get more fresh.
“So in one way you know that even if it’s not the best choice for some reason, it’s also the best choice for another reason. So you have to decide.”
MEN’S FINAL PREVIEW
Novak Djokovic arrived in Melbourne as the red-hot favourite having not been beaten at the first grand slam of the year since 2018.
But the Serbian superstar was dumped out in four sets by Jannik Sinner in the semi finals in what tennis may look back on as the beginning of the end for Djokovic’s time at the top of the sport.
In turn, it could be the beginning of a long, fruitful reign for 22-year-old Sinner.
The Italian cruised to a two-set lead inside just 73 minutes, making Djokovic look every bit of his 36 years of age.
Although Sinner briefly wobbled in the third set, he regained his composure to take the fourth set 6-3 and wrap up the match.
The win was Sinner’s third in his last four encounters against Djokovic and catapulted him into his first-ever grand slam final.
On the other side of the court stands Daniil Medvedev, who has twice been the bridesmaid in Melbourne.
The Russian was a beaten finalist against Djokovic in 2021 and Rafael Nadal in 2022 before crashing out in the third round of last year’s Australian Open.
In fact, Medvedev has only ever faced Djokovic or Nadal in the five grand slam finals he has played to date, winning just once: a straight sets victory over Djokovic in 2021.
Taking on Sinner, a first-time grand slam finalist, could be his best chance to add a second major to his collection.
Medvedev advanced to the final courtesy of an epic five-set win over Alexander Zverev, the third time he had gone the distance at this Australian Open.
The difference in court time between two has already emerged as a major talking point ahead of the final and could also lead the post-game analysis too.
In his journey to the final, Medvedev has been on court for 20 hours and 33 minutes, while Sinner has played for 14 hours and 44 minutes in Melbourne and has drooped only one set.
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