Australian Open: Daniil Medvedev scolds, wins and is in the final
Daniil Medvedev has followed Rafael Nadal to the Australian Open final. The second in the world rankings defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in a high-class match in four sets. In the meantime, however, the Russian caused a stir with hearty words to the referee.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Jan 28, 2022, 12:18 pm
The match began as was to be expected in advance: Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas impressively showed off their serve strength from the start. The Russian did this in pure culture, from his point of view not giving up a point on his own serve until the score was 5:6. To clarify: 22 points in a row went to the server Medvedev.
And Stefanos Tsitsipas? It wobbled once - and properly. When the score was 4:4, the Greek was confronted with a 0:40, fended off this and also another breakball with courageous tennis. That should have been the number of opportunities for the receivers for this set - a tie-break had to make the decision.
Tight tiebreak to Medvedev
In this it was the 23-year-old Greek who was able to secure the mini-break early on - and thus the second point on Medvedev's serve. Tsitsipas was able to hold this for a long time before Medvedev was able to equalize with a pass ball worth seeing to make it 4: 4. A break in this tiebreak, Medvedev served to make it 6: 5 and benefited from an avoidable mistake by Tsitsipas on set point. Set one consequently went to the Russians after 47 minutes.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is unimpressed by this, earned a breakball in the first game - and knew how to use it after a rally worth seeing with a forehand winner. The Greek had scored twice as many points in a game in set two as in the entire first round. Although Tsitsipas had to accept the rebreak a little later, he got another chance when the score was 4: 4. With the strong help of Daniil Medvedev, who made a significant contribution to the break of the fourth in the world rankings with two double errors. Tsitsipas gratefully accepted this gift and served round two 6: 4.
Medvedev complains loudly
The piquancy in these moments: Daniil Medvedev couldn't get himself back after the break he conceded to make it 4: 5, asked the referee several times screaming if he was "stupid" and complained loudly about alleged coaching by Apostolos Tsitsipas. There was – inexplicably – no warning for this rant. And even during the break, the Russian continued to scold, calling the referee a "little cat" in a quite idiosyncratic way, saying he wouldn't warn the Greek at the next opportunity. That's how the second in the world rankings spoke and took a toilet break to "cool off".
That had an effect, the events in the Rod Laver Arena calmed down noticeably at the start of the third set, with Medvedev's serve Stefanos Tsitsipas had no access at all again. The 23-year-old himself initially overcame some tricky situations – and also served himself through easily. Up to the point of 4: 5 from the point of view of the fourth in the world rankings, but then the Russian made a powerful move, scored two great points, earned three break points - and after a clean rally, closed the third set 6: 4.
Medvedev takes command
At the beginning of the fourth set, there was what Daniil Medvedev had been asking for for so long: a code violation for Stefanos Tsitsipas for unauthorized coaching from coach father Apostolos. He had to watch as his son was increasingly only a passenger in this match, hardly able to score on Medvedev's serve and also came under increasing pressure with his own service.
The logical consequence: When the score was 1: 2, the next break was for the Greek - Daniil Medvedev was no longer missing much for his fourth entry into the final of a major tournament. And the second in the world rankings, he took these last steps with flying colors. Medvedev added another break and completed the 7: 6 (5), 4: 6, 6: 4 and 6: 1 success after less than two and a half hours.
The final on Sunday is now against the Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who is fighting for his 21st triumph in a Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne. Nadal had also won his semi-final duel with Matteo Berrettini in four sets. In the head-to-head with Medvedev, the sixth in the world rankings is 3-1 in front. In 2019, Nadal defeated Medvedev in the Australian Open final.
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