Jannik Sinner vs. Daniil Medvedev: Rivalries of 2024 | ATP Tour

Better of 2024

Rivalries of 2024: Sinner vs. Medvedev

Italian continued his stirring comeback in pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence

November 28, 2024

To mark the tip of one other thrilling season, ATPTour.com is unveiling our annual ‘Greatest Of’ sequence, which is able to mirror on essentially the most intriguing rivalries, matches, comebacks, upsets and extra. This week, we’re the very best rivalries of the yr.

Momentum can imply lots relating to a rivalry. Simply ask Jannik Sinner.

The Italian continued a exceptional turnaround in his story with Daniil Medvedev in 2024, throughout which he triumphed in 5 of the pair’s six tour-level conferences. Sinner has all however banished the reminiscence of his opening six-match shedding streak towards Medvedev. After his group-stage victory on the Nitto ATP Finals earlier this month, he now leads the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence for the primary time (8-7).

As a part of ATPTour.com’s annual season-in-review sequence, we glance again at Sinner and Medvedev’s matchups in 2024.

Australian Open F, Sinner d. Medvedev 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3
Maybe issues would have performed out in another way within the Sinner vs. Medvedev rivalry this yr had the latter been capable of preserve his red-hot begin in January’s Australian Open remaining. Medvedev eased right into a two-set lead inside Rod Laver Area, expertly capitalising on any early nerves Sinner confirmed in his maiden main championship match.

But Medvedev’s uncharacteristically aggressive ways, characterised by his resolution to face nearer than common to the baseline on return, couldn’t propel the fourth seed to his second main crown. Sinner confirmed no signal of panic and cast a exceptional comeback, primarily based on his trademark pinpoint serving and heavy groundstrokes, to earn a three-hour, 44-minute triumph.

“I used to be anticipating one thing completely different from his aspect, so I had this sense that he would possibly come out a bit of bit extra aggressive. Not this aggressive,” admitted Sinner after clinching his first Grand Slam title. “He performed actually, very well for the primary two units or two-and-a-half units. I attempted simply to play a good degree, attempting to take a few possibilities within the third set, which I did. While you win one essential sport, the match can change sometimes, and that was the case immediately.”

Miami SF, Sinner d Medvedev 6-1, 6-2
If their Melbourne conflict had been a battle, Sinner and Medvedev’s semi-final assembly at March’s Miami Open introduced by Itau was extra akin to a procession. Sinner entered the match with a 20-1 document for the season, and the 22-year-old performed like a person filled with confidence to wrap a complete 69-minute win. It stays essentially the most one-sided scoreline of Sinner and Medvedev’s 15 tour-level encounters up to now.

His semi-final victory in Miami, the place he went on to defeat Grigor Dimitrov within the remaining, was Sinner’s fifth in a row towards Medvedev, whom he had not defeated in six makes an attempt previous to October 2023. Six months later and the Italian had decreased his Lexus ATP Head2Head deficit to 5-6, leaving pundits and followers alike questioning: Did Medvedev have any response?

Wimbledon QF, Medvedev d Sinner 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3
By the point of their subsequent assembly in July at Wimbledon, the in-form Sinner had risen to No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings for the primary time. He gained his maiden grass-court title in Halle in June and stepped onto Centre Court docket to face Medvedev having seen off former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini and the harmful Ben Shelton en path to the quarter-finals.

But as he has so usually all through his profession, Medvedev dug deep to outmanoeuvre a big-hitting elite rival. He dropped the primary set in a tie-break however then went into ‘lockdown mode’ from deep behind the baseline, in the end outlasting Sinner in a four-hour battle. Medvedev’s dedication to play front-foot tennis proved essential, vindicating his strategy after his heartbreak in Melbourne six months earlier.

“[I was thinking about Melbourne] tactically, as a result of I felt like on the Australian Open I did numerous good issues tactically,” stated Medvedev. “I did not handle to get it to the tip, however I felt like I used to be taking part in properly. I attempted to do it in Miami, additionally. It did not work. I feel I went a bit of an excessive amount of… Mentally it was a great match immediately as a result of I truly did not take into consideration the match in Australia. Not earlier than the fifth set, ‘Oh, my God, it is once more 5 units’. No, I used to be there to battle, to do my greatest.”

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_{^{Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner in motion at Wimbledon. Photograph Credit score: Francois Nel/Getty Pictures}}

US Open QF, Sinner d Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4
After his Wimbledon disappointment, Sinner didn’t have to attend lengthy for the chance to precise his Grand Slam revenge on Medvedev. The pair clashed within the quarter-finals on the US Open, their first Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly on the New York main, and the World No. 1 pulled by means of for an in the end snug four-set triumph.

The 2-hour, 39-minute encounter was additional proof that Sinner was changing into more and more snug with Medvedev’s considerably metronomic sport, but it surely was additionally a transparent demonstration of a participant primed to grind out win after win. Even in a match that contained a number of large momentum shifts, Sinner’s big-time ballstriking proved constant sufficient to energy previous one of many sport’s greatest baseline retrievers.

“It was very robust, we all know one another fairly properly,” stated Sinner, who accomplished the set of reaching the semi-finals in any respect 4 Grand Slam occasions along with his quarter-final win. “We performed in Australia this yr after which London. We knew it was going to be very bodily. It was unusual the primary two units as a result of whoever made the primary break then began to roll.”

Shanghai QF, Sinner d Medvedev 6-1, 6-4
From an 0-6 begin, Sinner’s equaliser in his barnstorming Lexus ATP Head2Head comeback towards Medvedev was sealed with ease on the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

Medvedev struggled bodily at instances and acquired therapy on his shoulder from the physio within the second set of the pair’s quarter-final conflict in China. After prime seed Sinner got here out firing en path to the primary set inside Qizhong Forest Sports activities Metropolis Area, these bodily points undermined any potential comeback bid from the 28-year-old Medvedev.

Sinner saved the one break level he confronted, based on Infosys ATP Stats, en path to an 85-minute triumph that drew him degree with Medvedev on seven wins every. The Italian went on to defeat Novak Djokovic within the remaining in Shanghai, incomes him his third ATP Masters 1000 crown of the season.

Nitto ATP Finals RR, Sinner d Medvedev 6-3, 6-4
Sinner rounded off his dominant yr towards Medvedev on residence soil in November on the Nitto ATP Finals, the place he extinguished his rival’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals with a peaceful and picked up efficiency. Medvedev wanted a straight-sets victory to offer himself an opportunity of progressing to the final 4, however Sinner capped an ideal group-stage exhibiting in Turin by capitalising on 30 unforced errors from his opponent.

As he sat right down to mirror on his 2024 season at his post-match press convention, Medvedev was requested about Sinner’s surge to an 8-7 lead within the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence. The 28-year-old was in little doubt that Sinner was a direct menace to his personal potential for including to his 20 tour-level titles.

“Look, he is barely shedding this yr,” stated Medvedev of the Italian, who went on to carry the trophy in Turin. “If you wish to win a title, you’ll face him at one second. It isn’t straightforward to beat him. Lots of people attempt. Lots of people fail. There’s principally one man who does it a bit of bit extra instances than the others, and it is Carlos [Alcaraz]. He is a really, very robust opponent.

“He is perhaps among the best gamers I’ve confronted. I confronted the Massive 4 a bit of bit after they have been a bit of bit older, and perhaps [their] pace was not the identical. I’ll attempt to work in pre-season. Possibly at one level he loses his confidence, begins to overlook some balls. In any other case, everybody, not solely me, is in for very, very robust years forward of us as a result of he is very younger.”