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Aryna Sabalenka lifts trophy after retaining Australian Open title
There will be a new Australian Open champion when Daniil Medvedev faces Jannik Sinner in the men’s singles final. Sinner will play in a grand slam final for the first time after the 22-year-old Italian stunned defending champion Novak Djokovic in four sets for the biggest win of his career.
Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, will play in his third Australian Open final after previous defeats to Djokovic in 2021 and Rafael Nadal in 2022. The third seed came from two sets down for the second time this tournament in beating Alexander Zverev in a four-hour epic in the semi-finals on Sunday.
On Saturday, Aryna Sabalenka claimed back-to-back Australian Open titles with a straight-sets victory over Qinwen Zheng in Melbourne. The World No 2 sealed a dominant tournament defence with a 6-3 6-2 victory against the 12th seed Zheng, who was playing in a grand slam final for the first time.
Follow live scores, updates and results from the Australian Open men’s final below:
Jannik Sinner ahead of playing in his first grand slam final:
“I think after last year, especially end of the year, gave me confidence that I could potentially do some good results in Grand Slams. But in the other way, you still have to show it, no? There are people who talk a lot, but you have to show it, no, because at the end of the day you’re going on the court and you have to play.
“But if it’s not this year, it’s next year, and then if it’s not next year, it’s the next year again, no. I’m really relaxed, to be honest. I just try to work as hard as possible and in my mind I feel like that’s the hard work always pays off in one way, and we are working really hard for our dreams.
“If this can happen, it’s good; if not, I gave 100%, and the rest I cannot control.”
On beating Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals:
“For me was a huge privilege end of last year to play against him in ten days for three times, because obviously you can practice with him, but the match is always different. So I feel like this for sure helped me in one way, but in the other way, it’s as I said before, Grand Slam also mentally it’s different. I just tried to play also as relaxed as possible but also having the right game plan in my mind.”
(AP)
Jamie Braidwood28 January 2024 08:19
Australian Open LIVE: Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev on facing Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open final:
“In my opinion, there is nothing too much of a tactical change when he won the last three. He did a little more serve-and-volley, maybe a little more aggressive, but at the same time that’s what he’s doing against everyone. He’s just playing better.
“The three matches, all of them were tough. Two tiebreaks and two three-setters. I had my chances. It was all of them were in the end of the season where I felt like I was not at my 100%, even if I was playing pretty good, but I was maybe at 97, 96. And against him, you need to be at 100.
“He’s playing better than before. I think it started probably when he won Canada or something like this, but especially end of the season he started playing whole different level. So if I want to beat him, I have to raise my level on a whole different level, and I will try to do it.”
On whether having the experience on playing in four grand slam finals gives him the advantage:
“I hope [so], because I hope to have some advantage. Physical advantage I probably don’t have. Tennis advantage, let’s see. But three last times he got me.
“So I hope that this experience can help me. First final, I think it’s always different for everyone. I’m sure some guys went out on the first final and felt so good they just managed, I don’t know, to win it. There are probably these stories.
“Some would go and it would be tough mentally and they would lose. I have no idea how Jannik is going to be, but me, myself, I have this experience. I will try my best. I will fight for my life, and let’s see who wins.”
(REUTERS)
Jamie Braidwood28 January 2024 08:11
Australian Open LIVE: Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev
Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev head-to-head
2023: ATP Fnals – Sinner won 6-3 6-7 6-1
2023: Vienna – Sinner won 7-6 4-6 6-3
2023: Beijing – Sinner won 7-6 7-6
2023; Miami – Medvedev won 7-5 6-3
2023: Rotterdam – Medvedev won 5-7 6-3 6-2
2023: Vienna – Medvedev – won 6-4 6-2
20221: ATP Finals – Medvedev – won 6-0 6-7 7-6
2021: Marseille – Medvedev won 6-2 6-4
2020: Marseille – Medvedev won 1-6 6-1 6-2
(Getty Images)
Jamie Braidwood28 January 2024 08:04
Australian Open LIVE: Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev’s route to Australian Open final:
1st round: vs Terence Atmane (Q) – won 5-7 6-2 6-4 1-0
2nd round: vs Emil Ruusuvuori – won 3-6 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-0
3rd round: vs Felix Auger-Aliassime – won 6-3 6-4 6-3
4th round: vs Nuno Borges – won 6-3 7-6 5-7 6-1
Quarter-finals: vs Hubert Hurkacz (9) – won 7-6 2-6 6-3 5-7 6-4
Semi-finals: vs Alexander Zverev (6) – won 5-7 3-6 7-6 7-6 6-3
(REUTERS)
Jamie Braidwood28 January 2024 07:57
Australian Open LIVE: Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev
Jannik Sinner’s route to Australian Open final:
1st round: vs Botic van de Zandschulp – won 6-4 7-5 6-3
2nd round: vs Jesper de Jong (Q) – won 6-2 6-2 6-2
3rd round: vs Sebastian Baez (26) – won 6-0 6-1 6-3
4th round: vs Karen Khachanov (15) – won 6-4 7-5 6-3
Quarter-finals: vs Andrey Rublev (5) – won 6-4 7-6 6-3
Semi-finals: vs Novak Djokovic (1) – won 6-1 6-2 6-7 6-3
Jannik Sinner, left, is congratulated by Novak Djokovic (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP)
(AP)
Jamie Braidwood28 January 2024 07:57
Australian Open LIVE: Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev
Is the Australian Open on TV in the UK?
You can watch the Australian Open live on Discovery+ and Eurosport in the UK. The action will be broadcast on Eurosport’s TV channels, or fans can tune into Discovery+ to stream the tournament, where an Entertainment & Sport pass is available for either £6.99/month or £59.99/year.
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Jamie Braidwood28 January 2024 07:55
Good morning
There will be a new Australian Open champion when Daniil Medvedev faces Jannik Sinner in the men’s singles final. Sinner will play in a grand slam final for the first time after the 22-year-old Italian stunned defending champion Novak Djokovic in four sets for the biggest win of his career.
Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, will play in his third Australian Open final after previous defeats to Djokovic in 2021 and Rafael Nadal in 2022. The third seed came from two sets down for the second time this tournament in beating Alexander Zverev in a four-hour epic in the semi-finals on Sunday.
Follow live scores, updates and results from the Australian Open men’s final in today’s live blog:
Jamie Braidwood28 January 2024 07:51