After 85 minutes of play at "Rod Laver Arena", Janik Siner was on the edge of the abyss. It seemed that he was "swallowed" by the syndrome of the first Grand Slam final, that he would sink in the duel in which he entered as the favorite, because Daniil Medvedev won the first two sets with the same result - 6:3.
The Italian allowed four breaks in those two parts of the game, and in the semifinals Novak Djokovic he didn't allow any chance to take away his serve.
It was a clear indication of how much he was burdened by the meeting with history, but he tried to write it in the most beautiful way possible - he became only the eighth tennis player in the open era who in the finals of the biggest tournaments turned around after 0:2 and won 3:6, 3 :6, 6:4, 6:4, 6:3.
It is interesting that the 22-year-old from South Tyrol won the 3rd and 4th sets in an identical way, with a break in the 10th game with three tied points after 40:30 for the rival. In the decisive part of the game, in the 6th game, he reached three tied break chances, used the second, and then turned the first match point into the biggest victory of his career.
- Thank you to all my colleagues and everyone who watched from home and works with me. We try to be better every day. Even during the tournament we tried to be stronger, to better understand the situation. I'm glad you're here and support me, which is sometimes not easy, because I'm still young - Siner said.
8.
the first time in the open era in the finals of a grand slam tournament someone won after 0:2 in sets
The boy from Inichen, a village through which the Drava River flows, at the end of 2023 brought Italy its first Davis Cup title after 1976. Now he became only the second tennis player from the Apennines to win a Grand Slam title in the open era, because he won the first and until yesterday the only one Adriano Panata at Roland Garros in 1976.
And Medvedev made history, but one that no one would like - he became the first player in the open era to lose two Grand Slam finals after leading 2:0 in sets. The same thing happened to him two years ago in Melbourne against Rafael Nadal, and in the annals of tennis, he allowed himself such a "feat". Bill Johnston who lost US Open title matches in 1922 and 1925 to Bill Tilden.
The Russian is one of the biggest "losers" in today's tennis, because this was his sixth title match at the biggest tournaments, and he only won the US Open in 2021.
- Congratulations, you have shown that you deserve the trophy. You fought until the end, you managed to raise the level of your game. Your team is doing an amazing job, you are winning many tournaments. I believe that this is not your last Grand Slam title, and I hope that I will win the next one if we play in the final, since I have three consecutive losses. It hurts to lose in the final, but it is better to lose in the fight for the title than in the earlier stage. I am proud of myself, next time I will try harder - emphasized Medvedev.
2.
once after a 2:0 lead in the final, Danil Medvedev was left without a Grand Slam title. This happened to him in 2022 against Rafael Nadal, also at the US Open, and in history such a "feat" was accomplished only by Bill Johnston, who lost to Bill Tilden at the US Open in 1922 and 1925.
In addition to Nadal two years ago and now to Siner, Medvedev also lost the Australian Open final to Djokovic in 2021.
- I hope you win the trophy here. I'm sure you can, I wish you all the best for the rest of the season - said Siner to his rival.
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