FORZA! Jannik Sinner heroically wins first Grand Slam title at Australian Open in two-set comeback

Going into his third Australian Open final, Daniil Medvedev told reporters that “I never felt, let's say, 100% me and the court” at Melbourne Park, in contrast to the US Open, where he’s had matches with the feeling “like I cannot miss anymore and I'm just in the zone.”

For the first two sets of Sunday’s championship clash with Jannik Sinner, Medvedev and Rod Laver Arena were the match made in heaven he had long been looking for.

That all changed when Sinner demonstrated just how far he’s come as a competitor in winning his first major title the hard way—and in turn searing another brutal Melbourne scar on Medvedev’s heart.

Sinner became the first Italian to capture an Australian Open title in a spellbinding 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 comeback after three hours and 44 minutes. Sinner is the first man from his nation to win a major since Adriano Panatta at 1976 Roland Garros and the youngest man to triumph in Melbourne since a 20-year-old Novak Djokovic lifted his first Grand Slam crown in 2008.

Both competitors began their 2024 campaigns at the season’s first major of the year, taking contrasting paths to their 10^th career meeting. Sinner won his first 17 sets of the tournament, spending five hours and 49 minutes less time on court. Medvedev survived a trio of five-setters, including two from two sets down.

Taking a far different approach to his previous match with Alexander Zverev, Medvedev came out swinging bigger than ever. The No. 3 seed flattened out his shots to create more length and stepped in on return with a much more assertive position.

Sinner had dropped serve just twice in 88 service games. Against Djokovic, the 22-year-old held the entire way through without facing a break point during his historic four-set victory over the Serb. Eleven minutes in against Medvedev, he found himself down 0-40, and soon a break.

Shrinking the court and consistently delivering deep, low balls, Medvedev broke again to end the set when a late backhand redirect from the Italian fell wide. He kept the pressure coming early in set two, with Sinner needing to fight off four break points in his opening service game by mixing in drop shots and finding his way forward.

“Well done. Stay aggressive,” Darren Cahill told his charge.

Medvedev continued to prevent that from happening for a significant enough period by neutralizing Sinner’s rhythm, especially the forehand. Two love holds alternated with a pair of breaks that saw Medvedev build a 5-1 advantage.

Though the fourth seed created a period of optimism by breaking for the first time and reaching ad-out on his next return game for a chance to get back on serve, Medvedev served out the two-set lead from deuce by restoring the uncompromising striking of before.

Sinner kept battling, winning 15 successive first serve points, before he was forced to hold from deuce to reach 5-4. At 15-30, it was Medvedev’s turn to dig in with his defensive dexterity to win a 31-shot rally. But Sinner sensed an opportunity to test his opponent’s mettle. Swiping clean returns, he was rewarded when Medvedev sailed his 15^th unforced error of the set well long to find himself playing on.

The momentum appeared to stay with Sinner, who won first six points of the fourth set and held a break point in each of his first two return games. With a decreasing court temperature, the finalists engaged in a series of longer rallies—the first five games saw six rallies of at least 15 shots—that gave Sinner reason to believe he was shifting control of the baseline.

At 3-3, Sinner let out a loud “let’s go!” after uncorking his second of three aces to stave off break point. Having pushed Medvedev to deuce in the following game, Sinner suddenly leveled the scoreboard. A rare miss off an inside-out backhand saw Medvedev face ad-out and Sinner pinned him back with a punishing inside-in forehand—a shot that came to life as the set wore on.

"I knew there was still going to be long points but I needed to make the points as short at possible, take his time, and it was working well. To be honest, I think it was working well until the end," Medvedev told press.

After four holds to start the tense decider, Sinner worked his forehand to break down a tiring Medvedev to gain his first notable lead on the scoreboard. Though Medvedev forced his opponent to serve it out, Sinner soared to the finish line to close out his incredible fortnight by taking down three consecutive Top 5 foes.

“Today, you showed why you deserved it. You fought until the end, you managed to raise your level,” Medvedev told Sinner during the trophy presentation.

“I know we played so many finals already together, but every match I find something where I can improve. You always make me a much better player,” returned Sinner.

For Medvedev, it echoed painful memories of two years earlier when he lost that title match from two sets up against Rafael Nadal. He fell to 1-5 in Grand Slam finals overall and has been on the receiving end of four successive defeats to Sinner.