Medvedev, defeat and sorrow of a burned generation

Australian Open

- final - That's how it was

Jannik Sinner

33666

Daniil Medvedev

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Microphone in hand, champion Jannik Sinner offers a lesson in maturity at the Melbourne headquarters.

“I wish everyone could have the parents I have.

They always let me choose what I wanted to be.

Even when I was younger, I played other sports and was never pressured.

I wish that freedom for all children,” transmits the Italian, the first male player of his nationality to win a major title since Adriano Panatta did so at Roland Garros in 1976. On one side, Medvedev, who was two sets ahead On top of that in the final, he is still ruminating on a painful defeat that takes him back to 2022, first, and also to 2019, when he lost against Novak Djokovic in the final match.

During the winner's speech, the Russian (27 years old) glances several times out of the corner of his eye at a trophy that is systematically denied to him.

He couldn't beat Nole, nor with Nadal and now he crashes with Sinner, who makes the Muscovite's statistics a little more dirty, the tennis player with the worst effectiveness average in the grand finals.

The data says that with five falls and 16.7%, it offers the poorest average, worsening the records of Andy Roddick (20%), Andy Murray (27.3%), Ilie Nastase (40%) and Ivan Lendl ( 42.1%).

However, Medvedev continues to establish himself as the alternative that is always there, lurking, litigating with everyone because he fights with everyone: those who were and those who were coming, the most powerful and those called to discuss world command in the next years.

More information

Sinner explodes in Australia at the expense of the molten Medvedev

“The feeling and the circumstances are different, I would say,” he answers when reminded of Nadal's comeback two years ago, when the Mallorcan also won two sets in an implausible way and made his spirits crumble;

“Now I am dreaming more than ever, probably not today, but in general, in life.

But I would say that it is no longer a child who dreams;

Now I am myself, a 27-year-old man who dreams and who is doing everything possible for his present and his future.

That's why I made it to the final.

I wanted to win and I was close.

Was I really close or not?

It's hard to say, but I wasn't far away.

Yes, the score is similar, but the game was a little different.”

Tsitsipas, on the 21st against Fritz.ISSEI KATO (REUTERS)

The fact is that Medvedev, a formidable competitor, with 20 titles on his record and recognized as one of the most feared, is being a victim of the

sandwich

exercised by the generation that precedes him and this last one from the 2000s that is firmly establishing itself in the heights. .

He and the Norrie (28), Fritz (26), Zverev (26), Rublev (26), Tiafoe (26).

Tsitsipas (25) or Korda (23) continue to receive punishment from everyone, first from the three giants and today from the heirs, Sinner (22), Carlos Alcaraz (20) and even the Danish Holger Rune (20).

The abuse does not stop and while time flies, the record says that between all of them they only collect one Grand Slam, the one captured by the one from Moscow at the 2021 US Open;

Likewise, he states that they have wasted a two-set win on four occasions in finals played on big stages;

two from Medvedev (Australia 2022 and 2024), one from Tsitsipas (Roland Garros 2021) and Zverev (US Open 2020).

The last bastion

But the thing doesn't stop there.

The comparison indicates that up to 15 players born in the nineties were able to win a

major

, for a total of 25, while the harvest of men in that age group is reduced to two trophies, achieved by Medvedev and Thiem. .

The latter - 30 years old, already out of rank but equally deprived of success - is barely fighting to return, devoured by a serious wrist injury;

Tsitsipas has been missing recently;

There is no news from Korda, Tiafoe or Norrie, and only the fleeting appearances of Fritz and, above all, the performance of Zverev and even more so that of Medvedev attract attention.

The rest is a wasteland.

While the old guard is retreating and only Djokovic is left standing, generation Z is making its way and harassing them as well, overtaking them on the right.

There is surely no promotion more shaken than theirs, who find their last bastion in the current runner-up.

The brave Russian does not turn his face, but his resistance is not enough.

Sinner, during the final against Medvedev. JOEL CARRETT (EFE)

“I haven't thought much about Rafa's game [in 2022], because I've really tried to leave it behind,” says Medvedev, stiletto of that

Next Gen

—that's what the generation of twenty-somethings between 24 and 28 was commercially baptized— who can't raise his head.

“Otherwise he would lose many times.

But when you have a winning mentality, I wouldn't say champion but good, it hurts more to lose this way than if you do it in the quarterfinals or semifinals,” he continues.

“If he continues playing like this and winning tournaments like this, he will be number one at any time: in two months, in a year, in two…”.

Meanwhile, Sinner is preparing for a beautiful continuous race with Alcaraz to be the strongest from now on.

“I like being inside the storm of pressure.

I must continue improving to win more Grand Slams,” says the Italian, whose coach, Darren Cahill, praises the steps taken by the Murcian to open the gap towards success.

“Carlos has been a pioneer for many young players and we are grateful for that.

It's a pleasure to watch him play.

“We aspire to be as good as him and hopefully one day we will be better, but at the moment we are chasing him,” says the coach, while his pupil – the most consistent and fittest since October, with three wins over Djokovic and the Davis Cup and this Australian Open in his bag—he reminisces and remembers his parents: “I don't see them as often as I would like, unfortunately.

I left home when I was 14, so I had to grow up very quickly, cook, wash clothes... It was hard.

They never pressured me, and that is perhaps the key to me being here today.

“I just enjoy playing tennis.”

SINNER, STRONG WITH THE STRONG

AC |

Melbourne

One of the aspects that best defines the evolution of Sinner is its performance against the heavyweights on the circuit.

Specifically, in the margin between 2021 and 2022, the Italian only won one of the 14 games he played against

top-5

rivals .

Now, however, the story is very different.

Since he lost to Djokovic at Wimbledon in July he has won 10 of the 11 matches he has played against them. 

It should be remembered that Sinner finally opted for the racket, but before becoming a professional he was debating between tennis and skiing.

He competed officially and also with good results both for his technique and for his mettle.

Today, the world number four works on the mental aspect with Dr. Riccardo Ceccarelli, known for his links with Formula 1. Ayrton Senna, Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, among others, have been his clients. . 

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