Erste Bank Open: The final will be a small home game for Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner will play the final of the Erste Bank Open 2023 today against defending champion Daniil Medvedev (live from 2 p.m. on ServusTV in Austria and on Sky in Germany). The South Tyrolean can probably hope for more support from the ranks.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Oct 28, 2023, 10:16 pm
By Jens Huiber from the Wiener Stadthalle
Daniil Medvedev was asked on Saturday after his entry into the final of the Erste Bank Open what the big difference was between Jannik Sinner, against whom he had won the first six games, and between the one who recently defeated him in the final in Tokyo Vienna asked. Well, in contrast to previous years, the “new”, better Sinner makes significantly fewer mistakes and defends at a higher level, said Medvedev.
What role does Darren Cahill, one of the most prominent coaches on the ATP tour, play in this? Of course, only Sinner himself can answer that.
And that's what he did in his press conference after the win against Andrey Rublev. On the one hand, it's his entire team with Simone Vagnozzi and the physio, but also Cahill, who has already looked after players like Andre Agassi. And who also played at a very high level as an active player.
Sinner didn't want to leave it alone that the separation from Riccardo Piatti, which was surprising to outsiders, was the main reason for his improvement: “Who knows, maybe things would have been even better with Riccardo? Or worse?”
Sinner with a bad record against Medvedev
So now it's against Medvedev, against whom the record is still 1:6. “Everyone has players they struggle against,” said Sinner. And they could also be from the top 30, top 40. Sinner couldn't describe in detail why he was having such a hard time against Medvedev. However, he expects that his opponent will make some tactical changes compared to the final in Tokyo.
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The tournament in Vienna is definitely very important for him. Not just because the organizers helped him out with a wildcard a few years ago. But in the Austrian capital, Jannik Sinner can always count on the support of his family. And actually also those of a few friends who didn't make it to the town hall in 2023. No matter: the audience picked up Jannik Sinner from day one. It will be a small home game, this final against Daniil Medvedev.
Here is the individual tableau in Vienna
Viennamap