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

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2024 Rivalries: Sinner vs. Medvedev

The Italian extended his great comeback in the Lexus ATP Head2Head Series

November 28, 2024

To mark the end of another exciting season, ATPTour.com presents our annual “Best” series, reflecting the most intriguing rivalries, matches, comebacks, upsets and much more. This week, we review the best rivalries of the year.

Taking advantage of moments can mean a lot when it comes to a rivalry. If not, ask Jannik Sinner.

The Italian took an extraordinary turn in his story with Daniil Medvedev in 2024, during which he triumphed in five of the six meetings between the two on the circuit. Following his victory in the group stage of the Nitto ATP Finals earlier this month, he leads the Lexus ATP Head2Head Series for the first time (8-7).

As part of ATPTour.com’s annual series, we look back at the Sinner-Medvedev matchups in 2024.

F Abierto de Australia, Sinner d. Medvedev 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3
Perhaps the rivalry between Sinner and Medvedev would have been different if the latter had been able to maintain his good start in January’s Australian Open final. Medvedev raced to a two-set lead on Rod Laver Arena, masterfully taking advantage of the nerves Sinner showed in his first Grand Slam title match.

However, Medvedev’s aggressive tactics, characterized by his decision to get closer than usual to the baseline on the return, failed to propel the fourth seed to his second Major title. Sinner showed no signs of panic and forged a remarkable comeback, based on his characteristic pinpoint serve and strong groundstrokes, to claim a victory of three hours and 44 minutes.

“I expected something different from him, so I had the feeling he would come out a little more aggressive. Not so aggressive,” Sinner admitted after winning his first Grand Slam title. “He played very well the first two sets or two and a half sets. I tried to play at an even level, trying to take advantage of a couple of opportunities in the third set, and I did. When you win a very important game, the match can change occasionally, and that was the case today.”

SF Miami, Sinner d Medvedev 6-1, 6-2
If their showdown in Melbourne was a battle, the semifinal encounter between Sinner and Medvedev at the Miami Open presented by Itaú in March was more akin to a procession. Sinner entered the match with a 20-1 record on the season to that point, and the 22-year-old played like a man full of confidence to claim a comprehensive victory in 69 minutes. It remains the most lopsided scoreline of the 15 meetings between Sinner and Medvedev on tour to date.

His semi-final victory in Miami, where he defeated Grigor Dimitrov in the final, was Sinner’s fifth in a row against Medvedev, whom he had not defeated in six attempts before October 2023. Six months later, the Italian had reduced his deficit in the Lexus ATP Head2Head at 5-6, leaving experts and fans alike wondering: Did Medvedev have any response?

CF Wimbledon, Medvedev d Sinner 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3
In their next match, in July at Wimbledon, an in-form Sinner had reached No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time. He had won his first grass title in Halle in June and took to Center Court to face Medvedev after disposing of former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini and the dangerous Ben Shelton en route to the quarterfinals.

However, as he has done so many times throughout his career, Medvedev had to work hard to overcome an elite opponent with great punching power. He lost the first set in the tie-break, but then went into ‘blocking mode’ from the back of the baseline and ended up beating Sinner in a four-hour epic. Medvedev’s commitment to playing forward tennis proved crucial, vindicating his approach after the heartbreak suffered in Melbourne six months earlier.

“I was thinking about Melbourne from a tactical point of view, because at the Australian Open I did a lot of things well from a tactical point of view,” Medvedev said. “I didn’t make it to the end, but I felt like I was playing well. I also tried to do it in Miami. It didn’t work. I think I overdid it a little… Mentally it was a good game today because I didn’t really think about the Australia game “Not before the fifth set, ‘Oh my God, five sets again.’ No, I was there to fight, to do my best.”

Daniil Medvedev/Jannik Sinner” style=”width: 100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2024/11/21/16/29/medvedev-sinner-wimbledon-2024-net.jpg”>

Daniil Medvedev and Sinner in action at Wimbledon. Photo: Francois Nel/Getty Images

CF US Open, Sinner d Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4
After his disappointment at Wimbledon, Sinner didn’t have to wait long to get revenge on Medvedev in a Grand Slam. The two met in the quarterfinals of the US Open, their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting at the New York tournament, and the world No. 1 won comfortably in four sets.

The two-hour, 39-minute match was further evidence that Sinner was becoming more comfortable with Medvedev’s somewhat linear game, but it was also a clear demonstration of a player prepared to take victory after victory. Even in a game that saw several changes of pace, Sinner’s great ball-striking proved consistent enough to prevail against one of the best hitters from the baseline.

“It has been very hard, we know each other quite well,” declared Sinner, who after his victory in the quarterfinals completed the series of reaching the semifinals in the four Grand Slam tournaments. “We played in Australia this year and then in London. We knew it was going to be very physical. The first two sets were strange because whoever made the first break then started playing.”

CF Shanghai, Sinner and Medvedev 6-1, 6-4
With a 0-6 start, Sinner evened the score in the Lexus ATP Head2Head against Medvedev at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

Medvedev had physical problems at times and received treatment on his shoulder by the physio in the second set of the quarterfinal clash between the two in China. After top-seeded Sinner stormed into the first set at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, those physical problems undermined any comeback attempt by the 28-year-old Medvedev.

Sinner saved the only break point he faced, according to Infosys ATP statistics, en route to an 85-minute triumph that tied him with Medvedev at seven wins apiece. The Italian defeated Novak Djokovic in the Shanghai final and won his third Masters 1000 of the season.

RR Nitto ATP Finals, Sinner d Medvedev 6-3, 6-4
Sinner rounded off his dominant year against Medvedev at home in November at the Nitto ATP Finals, where he ended his rival’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals with a calm and collected performance. Medvedev needed a victory in straight sets to have a chance of advancing to the semifinals, but Sinner capped off a perfect group stage in Turin taking advantage of his rival’s 30 unforced errors.

While reflecting on his 2024 season in the post-match press conference, Medvedev was asked about Sinner’s (8-7) lead in the Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The 28-year-old had no doubt that Sinner was a direct threat to his own potential of winning 20 tour titles.

“Look, he’s barely lost this year,” Medvedev said of the Italian, who lifted the trophy in Turin. “If you want to win a title, you will face him at some point. It is not easy to beat him. Many people try. Many people fail. There is above all one guy who does it a little more times than the others, and that is Carlos [Alcaraz]. “He is a very, very strong rival.”

“He’s maybe one of the best players I’ve ever faced. I faced the Big Four a little bit when they were a little older, and maybe [su] speed was not the same. I’m going to try to work in preseason. At some point you may lose confidence and start missing some shots. Otherwise, we all have very, very hard years ahead of us, not just me, because he is very young.”