Jannik Sinner on Sunday had pulled off a monumental comeback, defeating Daniil Medvedev in a five-set thriller, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to win the 2024 Australian Open at Rod Laver Arena, in Melbourne.
Medvedev, the calm, calculating force, had seemed destined for a repeat title. He stormed through the first two sets, his precise groundstrokes and relentless aggression leaving Sinner reeling.
The young Italian, though, refused to buckle. He dug deep, rediscovering the potent one-two punch of his forehand and his whiplash backhand.
The third set was a masterclass in resilience. Sinner saved a match point at 5-4, his defiant stare across the net daring Medvedev to finish him off.
He broke serve in the next game, then held his nerve to steal the set, turning the tide of the match in a single, dramatic twist.
The fourth set was a tense chess match, each point a battle of wills. Sinner, fueled by the momentum and the crowd, pushed Medvedev to the limit.
The Russian, sensing his opponent’s newfound confidence, started to falter, his usually impregnable defense showing cracks.
Sinner capitalised, breaking serve again to seal the set and send the match into a deciding fifth.
The final set was a rollercoaster of emotions. Both players, drained from the epic battle, traded service breaks like punches in a prizefight. At 5-4, serving for the championship, Sinner faltered.
A double fault and a netted forehand gave Medvedev two break points, the scent of victory wafting back towards him.
But Sinner, fueled by sheer grit, saved both points, then unleashed a thunderous serve and volley to win the game, the match, and the championship.
As the final point landed, the stadium erupted. Sinner, overwhelmed with emotion, collapsed to his knees, burying his face in the blue court.
He had climbed Mount Everest, his journey from down 0-2 to champion etched in the annals of Australian Open history.
This wasn’t just a victory, it was a statement. Sinner, once hailed as a “Next Gen” prodigy, had finally arrived. He had conquered the reigning king, proving his doubters wrong and silencing the whispers of his meteoric rise being a mere flash in the pan.
