Sinner a step too far in Medvedev’s marathon

Daniil Medvedev spent more time on court than any other player in grand slam history and that played into Jannik Sinner’s hands.

Daniil Medvedev speaks during a press conference after defeat against Italy's Jannik Sinner during their men's singles final match Picture: AFP

“The situation was very, very tough,” Jannik Sinner said. “I was two sets to love down. It was all going so quickly. Daniil (Medvedev) is an incredible player. He showed again he’s an incredible fighter. He spent so many hours on court and I was just trying to stay out there as long as possible. I thought of all the people who came to watch. I was like, ‘I have to at least try to make it a match somehow’. The more it went on, maybe physically I’m a little bit better. Daniil has played so many hours. That was the key.”

Sinner played the clock because Medvedev was guaranteed to run out of puff. The poor bugger. Sinner played long game, played for minutes, played for hours, played patiently.

The clock ticked over from 8pm to 9pm – it clicked over from 9pm to 10pm – every minute mattered. Medvedev was en route to spending more time on court than any player in majors history, 24 hours, the poor history-making bugger – despite his desperation to play with pride and panache until the bitter end, the Russian ironman needed another five-setter like a hole in the head.

Sinner waited for Medvedev to wilt. Took a while, but it was inevitable. The Italian won 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-3. Won the long game, won the Open, won his first major.

Medvedev secured a million admirers. The poor bugger.

“I made it to the final,” he said.

“I wanted to win. I was close. Was I really close or not? Tough to say. But I was not far.”

Sinner took match point with a trademark lasso forehand, resisted the temptation to give the weak-kneed, glazed-eyed Medvedev a fireman’s carry to his bench and raised a curious eyebrow when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was booed so loudly and fiercely it seemed even the statue of Rex Hartwig was joining in. Welcome to Australia, young man, where we give the PM heaps.

Eight years after a little freckled-faced Italian kid in the northern mountains kissed his parents goodbye and headed for a full-time tennis academy in the big smoke, he puckered up to the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.

Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev pose during the official presentation after their final at Melbourne Park Picture: Getty Images

“I still don’t see them so often, unfortunately,” Sinner said of his folks. “I went away from home when I was 14 years old.

“I had to grow up quite fast, trying to cook for myself, trying to make laundry. It’s different but then in the other way, that was maybe the fastest way to grow up. For me it was tough but for the parents to leave their son when 14 years old, that’s also not easy.

“They never put pressure on myself, which for me is maybe the key why I’m here today. I’m quite a relaxed man who just enjoys to play tennis. I’m 22. I like to do normal stuff. That’s it. Obviously I know only them, but they have been the perfect parents.”

Here’s the future of men’s tennis. Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz leading the pack while optimistic souls such as Andrey Rublev, Holger Rune, Alex de Minaur and Medvedev, the poor bugger, nip at their heels. Novak Djokovic is a marvel but his twilight has arrived. If the future revolves around Sinner, Alcaraz, Rublev, Rune, de Minaur, Ben Shelton, Alex Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Medvedev – the poor bugger – count me in.

Sinner is a simple, straightforward chap. He doesn’t speak in too many riddles but he got all poetic when talking about pressure.

“I like to dance in the pressure storm,” he said. Come again?

“I don’t know how to tell you,” he replied. “Me personally, I just like the pressure. It’s where most of the time I bring out my best tennis. Yes, there is always pressure, but you have to see it as something good.

“There are not so many players who have this kind of pressure but in the other way, when you do have the pressure, it means you believe you can really do it. We are talking already after the match that we can still improve, so let’s see what’s coming in the future.”

Medvedev deserved better. He just couldn’t beat the clock.

He started aggressively ­because he had to win quickly. A fast game would be a good game. He was like the madcap Olympic runner sprinting at the start of the marathon and hoping des­perately to hang on when he knew he probably couldn’t. The poor bugger.

“I got a little tired physically,” Medvedev said. “In the fifth set I was just trying to be proud of myself – and I am. I was fighting. I was running. I was like, ‘If tomorrow I don’t feel my legs it doesn’t matter. I’m going to try everything I can until the last point’. I did it. The momentum changed and I really tried in my mind to change it back again because that’s what tennis is about. But I didn’t manage to do it. That’s why he’s the winner and has the trophy.”

You poor bugger. “Sympathy is nice,” he said. “I didn’t have time to answer these people but I’ve really got a lot of friends.

“Some text me after every match, some other tennis players, my other friends, 200 or 300 and some of them tonight I’ve already seen the messages: ‘I’m proud of you, bro’, or, ‘Big man hug to you’. Stuff like this.

“You read these messages and that’s a nice feeling after a tough loss.

“In Russia, we have a saying. Better to have – how is it? Anyway, I forgot it.”

Then he remembered. “Better to have three very good friends than a hundred people that are there when you win and when you lose, they don’t really care.

“I think I follow this advice really well. I try to have people around me that I trust and they can trust me.

“Some others – I don’t want to be loved by everyone. It’s impossible. But I want people that I love to love me back. A close circle.

“I didn’t win but at least I got a record in something. I’m in the history books for something. Let’s take it.

“I’m proud of what I did. Now I’m going to be dead for a week.”