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Medvedev: Pressure is on Djokovic in Australian Open final

Daniil Medvedev will become just the third Russian to play in an Australian Open men's singles fi...



Medvedev: Pressure is on Djoko...
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Medvedev: Pressure is on Djokovic in Australian Open final

Daniil Medvedev will become just the third Russian to play in an Australian Open men's singles final. 

This year's 4th seed will follow in the footsteps of Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin following a straight-sets win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in their semi-final.

Standing between Medvedev and a first ever Grand Slam title is a man who is 8-0 in Australian Open finals - Novak Djokovic.

But the Russian is very much a man in form.

His win over 5th seed Tsitsipas was his 20th in a row, and he's also had Djokovic's number in three out of their last four meetings - including their most recent at the ATP Finals in London.

"I know that to beat him you need to show your best tennis," Medvedev said after his win over the Greek, "Be at your best physically maybe four or five hours, and be at your best mentally maybe for five hours.

“I would say to win a slam, especially against somebody as Novak, is already a big motivation, and I don’t think there is anything that can make it bigger."

Medvedev has played in just one Grand Slam final to date. He took Rafa Nadal to five-sets in the 2019 US Open final, before losing out 6-4 in the decider.

The 25-year old feels he's more callused for the defeat.

"It's experience," Medvedev said, "It was my first Grand Slam final against one of the greatest.

"On Sunday I'm going to come against one of the other greatest.

"I played against Rafa in this crazy US Open match. It's an experience that maybe, if we're going to have some crazy match, can turn some things for me and not against me."

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Australian Open Daniil Medvedev Novak Djokovic Stefanos Tsitsipas Tennis