Grand Slam Australian Open - Day 14 Nadal v Medvedev

Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev

  • Nadal in 3

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • Nadal in 4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Nadal in 5

    Votes: 8 24.2%
  • Medvedev in 3

    Votes: 6 18.2%
  • Medvedev in 4

    Votes: 17 51.5%
  • Medvedev in 5

    Votes: 1 3.0%

  • Total voters
    33
  • Poll closed .

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May 4, 2009
12,366
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Tasmania
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Sydney
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Furth
3 PM Womens Doubles Final: B. Krejcikova/K. Siniakova [1] v A. Danilina/B. Haddad Maia

7:30 PM Mens Singles Final: Rafael Nadal [6] v Daniil Medvedev [2]

Weather: Humid, Cloudy. 19C-28C Winds 15-25K. No Rain, so outdoors.
Mens Singles Final. 7:30PM
Round
Rafael Nadal​
Daniil Medvedev​
1st Round
M. Giron 6-1, 6-4, 6-2​
H. Laaksonen 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(3)​
2nd Round
Y. Hanfmann 6-2, 6-3, 6-4​
N. Kyrgios 7-6(1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2​
3rd Round
(28) K. Khachanov 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1​
B. van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-4, 6-2​
Round of 16
A. Mannarino 7-6(14), 6-2, 6-2​
M. Cressy 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-7(4), 7-5​
Quarter-Final
(14) D. Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3​
(9)Auger-Aliassime 6-7(4), 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5, 6-4​
Semi-Final
(7) M. Berrettini 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3​
(4) S. Tsitsipas 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1​

Rafael Nadal
Rank: 5
Highest Rank: 1
DOB: 3rd June, 1986, Mallorca, Spain.
Career Titles. 89

rafael nadal sport GIF by Roland-Garros

Route to Final
For someone who is coming off a foot injury and Covid in Dec 2021, he has had an outstanding return to tennis. He won the Melbourne 250 ATP in his first tournament back, beating Cressy in the final in straight sets. He was not tested in the first 2 rounds. Khachanov gave some fight in the 3rd set, but Nadal would snuff out any potential comeback with a change of tactics. The first set against Mannarino went 82 mins and Nadal was forced to save 4 set points before easily winning in 3. His big match was against Shapovalov. After winning the first 2 sets comfortably enough, Nadal would suffer heat stroke (his words). He looked gone and the young Canadian should have won but made key errors trying to put Nadal away in the deciding set. A similar story would happen in the semi. Berrettini would find his game after a poor start and Nadal looked shaken but Berrettini threw in a bad service game and that was that.

Career and 2021 Year in review
The GOAT on clay, I dont need to write much about Nadal career. We all know that he is the king of clay and that he is going for #21 here. His 2021 year was sadly a bit miserable for him. He lost a two sets to love lead to Tsitsipas at the quarters at last years Aus Open. After the tournament, he would take an extended break and return for the clay-court season, where he would win his 12th Barcelona Open and his 10th title in Rome. At the French Open, he would play outstandingly well for 3 sets against Novak before injury and fatigue hit, costing him his best chance for GS title 21. The match would prove costly for his frail body. A long term ankle injury would flare up and he would miss Wimbledon, the Olympics, and despite a brief failed return in Washington, he would later have surgery miss the US Open. He would finish his year with a 25/7 record with only 2 matches played after the French Open. he won 2 titles, as mentioned above. His previous best result at the Australian Open was in 2009, where he won the final against Roger Federer in 5 sets. He is been a runner up 4 times. He has won 13 French Opens, 4 US Opens, 2 Wimbledons and 1 Australian

Daniil Medvedev
Rank: 2
Highest Rank: 2
DOB: 11 February 1996, Moscow, Russia
Career Titles: 13

Us Open Sport GIF


Route in Final
It has been a tough road for the pre-tournament favourite. he went 3-1 at the ATP Cup, with his only loss coming in the first match in the season against Humbert. He was the unlucky seed who had to play Nick in the 2nd round. He had to contend with a hostile boo-urns crowd, and later in the post match interview, he would insult them or troll them, depending on what side of the fence you sit. He later complained about not playing on RLA after having a lot of MCA matches. He would get frustrated playing Cressy and after failing to convert 8 breakpoints in the 4th set against the serve volleyer, he was heard yelling out about how the match was boring. He had to contend with a hostile crowd in the last couple of matches but that is not new to him. Tennis wise, he has been not at his brilliant best for a lot of it. he struggled to break Cressy and Nick also took a set of him. Against FAA, he had a sluggish start and found himself 2 set to love down. One should not diminish the level of tennis played by Felix and Danill throughout and, in what was the match of the tournament, he lifted and wore down Felix. He sneaked the first set against Tsitsipas before losing the next and going off at the umpire. Tsitsipas would later succumb to the Medvedev pressure(or lack of coaching) meekly lose the 3rd and 4th sets.

Career and 2021 Year in review
Medvedev ended 2020 as the most likely to beat the Big 3 and by the end of the year, that talk had been confirmed. He didn't really have an outstanding Junior career and it wasn't until 2018 did he start winning trophies. He first entered the top 10 in mid-2019. A couple of months later, he would reach the final at the US Open and lose to Nadal in 5 sets(more on that later). At the end of 2020, he would win the ATP Finals(beating Nadal on route) and was one of the favourites to win the 2021 Aus Open. He would make the final, only to get pantsed by Novak in a supreme display. He would get Covid at the Monte Carlo Open and struggle in the clay season. Covid affected his fitness, (or his general dislike of clay), it was a huge shock that he made the quarters of the French Open. A 4th round in Wimbledon would follow but Medvedev best surface, by far, is hardcourt. He would finish 2021 like he finished 2020, with a lot of wins and a runner up at the ATP Finals. He would also win the "Davis" Cup for Russia. In among that, he would win his first grand slam title, getting revenge on Novak with a straight-set victory at Flushing Meadows. He would finish the year with a 63/13 record (33/5 hardcourt) and win two-250 ATP titles(1 hard court, 1 grass)The Canadian Masters, top of his US Open triumph. He was also runner up at the end of year champs.
-------------------------------------
Head2Head
Nadal leads 3-1, all on hard court. Their most recent match was the semi-final of the 2020 ATP finals, where Nadal would fail to serve the match out in the 2nd set and Medvedev would win 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-3. Medvedev would slowly wear down Nadal in that match. The only time they have played at a grand slam was the final of the US Open in 2019. Medvedev would come back from 2 sets to love down to lose to Nadal in 5. 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4. This was an amazing comeback from Medvedev in his first slam final, considering the amount of tennis he had to play in that tournament. Indeed, he turned a hostile New York crowd into his fans by the end of this match.

Prediction:
I predicted that Medvedev would beat Nadal at the start of the open, so I not going to change that. For me, the only doubt is the wear in Medvedevs legs, both in this tournament but more from the off-season. His clash against FAA took a lot out of him and he had 1 less day of recovery than Nadal from his tough quarter-final. He is also trying to do a bit of history. No man in the open era of tennis has won back to back grand slam title after breaking their grand slam V-plates. But Medvedev's recovery looked great in the semi's and he has a history of running on complete fumes but still getting the win. He will want to play that level of tennis again and if he does that, he is going to win. I just dont see how Nadal will hit consistent winners against an opponent who will get every ball back. And Nadal has his own fitness concerns. He doesn't look like he can play 5 sets nowadays and as such, the longer this match goes, the higher the chance Medvedev will win.
Medvedev in 4 sets. 4-6, 7-6, 7-5. 6-3
 
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Can’t wait. Went Rafa in 5. Love him to win it the hardest way. More thrilling!
Same Rafa in 5 in hopefully edge of the seat stuff, I love his emotions and reactions when he wins…he’s just a joy in tennis and such a fighter. And always a humble gentleman :)

He’s pretty much a perfect tennis specimen.
 

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Aussie in exile

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 21, 2013
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I'm hoping for a Nadal in, but i know it's odds against.
I just don't want a Medvedev victory as Putin will use it as a victory for Russia over a Western country
 

pepsi

Brownlow Medallist
Feb 4, 2008
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Apologies if already posted...

There is a 6000 post thread dedicated to this topic. Please keep this discussion in there:


Let's keep this thread for talk about the final.
 

Caesar

Ex-Huckleberry
Mar 3, 2005
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Western Bulldogs
I hate Medvedev. Go Rafa
Medvedev is great. Unlike most of the guys who've come up behind the Big 4, many of whom are more classically talented, he has an awesome work ethic, admirable introspection and a genuine desire to improve himself

Four years ago he was one of the worst headcases on the tour. He recognised it was a problem and got himself a sports psychologist, took her on tour with him for a full year, and massively improved his attitude. Now he is one of the most mentally resilient players around (occasional outbursts notwithstanding). Over the last couple of seasons he has made big strides towards shoring up his abysmal net play.

Bloke is far from perfect, but I will always have massive respect people who own their flaws and work hard at fixing them - will be a very worthy #1 when he gets there
 
Dec 21, 2012
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Want Rafa to win but I think Med in straights, he's had his 'slip up' vs Felix and will be primed to make up for last year. I sorta like Med too, takes the piss a bit with his antics but an extremely solid player who I think is a level above the rest of the 'next gen'.
 
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