Australian Open: Nadal or Medvedev - who is ahead in the final?
Rafael Nadal with his 21st or Daniil Medvedev with his second Grand Slam title? The final of the Australian Open 20222 on Sunday (from 09:30 live on Eurosport, in Austria on ServusTV and in our live ticker) promises great sport.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jan 29, 2022, 01:48 pm
The ATP Tour Finals have so far been a mystery that Rafael Nadal has been unable to solve. Which of course also has to do with the fact that the end of the year usually takes place on a fast track and indoors. And late in the year, when the great Spaniard has licked his wounds in recent years rather than launched major attacks on the last white spot in his road to success. But: When Rafael Nadal went to London after all, he fought to the last point. Ask Daniil Medvedev.
If the reigning US Open champion goes through his previous four meetings with Nadal, the analysis could be as follows: In Montreal 2019, Medvedev had no chance at 3: 6 and 0: 6. The final of the US Open a few weeks later was much tighter, Medvedev was unable to convert his chances in the fifth set after a big comeback.
The first meeting of the two at the ATP Finals was almost as bitter, also in 2019: Medvedev already led 5: 1 in the third set, but could not bring the game to a successful end. He only managed to do that a year later, when Nadal again missed chances of winning the semifinals of the finals at the last event in the O2 Arena.
Medvedev like a marathon runner
What does this mean for the Australian Open 2022 final? It is also likely that neither of the two remaining title contenders will feel safe should an interim lead result. Rafael Nadal is a burned child in Melbourne in this respect, in 2017 he looked like the sure winner in the final against Roger Federer - until the Swiss won all remaining five games after being 3-1 down in the fifth set.
Nadal could make history again with his 21st major title, but Medvedev's is not without either. To follow up with the next one right after his debut triumph in one of the four most important tournaments, no one before Medvedev has managed to do that.
Tactically, a duel can be expected from the baseline, Nadal will, as always, try to massage his opponent's backhand against a right-hander. That worked perfectly against Matteo Berrettini, but Daniil Medvedev is much more stable on the backhand side than the Italian. And better on foot too. After his bankruptcy against Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas said that the second in the world rankings would be like a marathon runner. He cannot imagine that this will go well for Medvedev in the long run. On the other hand, Nadal didn't seem physically fit in every match either. No wonder: the 35-year-old was only able to start training again late last year after an operation.
Nadal with the support of the fans
Who the hearts of the fans will fly to seems to be clearer than the playful favorites. The Australians are enjoying Rafael Nadal's comeback story, the matador can count on almost unlimited support. What Daniil Medvedev will not necessarily think Spanish: The Muscovite showed in the final of the US Open against Novak Djokovic and in the current tournament in the matches against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nick Kyrgios that a hostile audience bothers him, but also to top performances incites.
Here is the individual tableau of the Australian Open
laver arena