Jannik Sinner dances in the pressure storm towards Australian Open title

“I like to dance in the pressure storm,” said Jannik Sinner on Sunday, possibly coining one of those phrases that get repeated often. “I like it, because that’s where most of the time I bring out my best tennis.” He needed to weather a massive storm in the ever-changing Melbourne weather on Rod Laver Arena. For over two sets he was blowing hot and cold, unlike his demolishing start against Novak Djokovic in the semi-final. Daniil Medvedev had come out ultra aggressive - standing nearer to the line on returns and approaching the net far often. Sinner was having to readjust. But things were slipping from his grasp. Fast. 37 mins in, Medvedev had the first set in the bag (6-3). Further 49 minutes later it was two sets to love (6-3) but the Italian was getting a look by this time.

Incredible bounce-back in the final!#BounceBackwithLifeSpace • #BounceBack@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/gOq9YKtBRU

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 30, 2024

Sinner broke Medvedev’s serve in the seventh game of the second set. He was not being blown away anymore. Medvedev did double his advantage but a statement was made. “The match was going so fast the first two sets,” he told Channel 9. “I had zero chance to play at this level, but I was looking forward to having small chances. Somehow I managed to break him and tried to win one game at a time. And that’s it.” Unbeknownst to himself, that was the beginning of the comeback. Two hours later, the Italian collapsed on the court after slapping a big forehand winner that landed inches inside the baseline. He had just overturned a two set deficit to win his first Grand Slam title. [caption id=“attachment_13671492” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Jannik Sinner holds the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup aloft after defeating Daniil Medvedev in Melbourne. AP[/caption] The World No 4 needed three hours and 44 minutes to surpass Medvedev 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. He became the first Italian, male or female, to win an Australian Open singles title in the Open era and at 22, the youngest player from his nation to secure a Grand Slam. He became the second Italian man to win a major title after Adriano Panatta in 1976. With wins over Andrey Rublev, Novak Djokovic, and Medvedev, the Italian notched three straight victories over top-5 opponents. The 22-year-old was ranked 17th after last year’s tournament in Melbourne, where he lost a five-setter to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the fourth round. Since then, he’s showed he belongs in the top bracket. Sinner ended the previous season with four titles, including his first Masters crown in Toronto, and led Italy to their maiden Davis Cup crown since 1976. That team event success saw him beat Djokovic twice in a day - in doubles and singles. He also reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon and the ATP Finals decider, to be defeated both times by Djokovic.

Good morning, CHAMPION 🏆👋@janniksin • #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/BBl1VTAP7i

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2024

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But he turned the tables in the semi-finals in Melbourne, recording a staggering victory over the 10-time Australian Open champion for his third victory over the Serb in four meetings. One crucial aspect of the ’new’ Sinner is his extraordinary air of calm on court. Against Djokovic he squandered a match point and it could have been the turning point with the Serb winning the third set in a tiebreak. But 55 minutes later, Sinner got the job done in four sets. “I’m really relaxed, to be honest. I just try to work as hard as possible and in my mind I feel like the hard work always pays off in one way, and we are working really hard for our dreams,” he said. “If this can happen, it’s good. If not, I gave 100 percent, and the rest I cannot control.”

"Pressure is a privilege" 💭@janniksin channels the one and only @BillieJeanKing #AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/khcSdn1tJs

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2024

The uptick in performance and mental strength has been instilled by coaches Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi. The team, who he considers family, has been crucial to Sinner’s growth. “We are trying to get better every day, even during the tournament we try to get stronger, trying to understand every situation a little bit better, and I’m so glad to have you there supporting me, understanding me, which sometimes it’s not easy because I am a little bit young sometimes,” he said with a smile. For Sinner, a career in tennis was not a given. Having grown in South Tyrol area of Italy, on the Austrian border, he was a champion skier as a youngster and still enjoys the sport in the off-season. He was also a keen footballer. The Italian acknowledged and applauded his parents for letting him choose his own path. “I wish everyone could have my parents because they always let me choose whatever I wanted to, even when I was younger, I (played) some other sports and they never put pressure on me," he said in the on-court interview. “I wish that this freedom is possible for as many young kids as possible,” he added. [caption id=“attachment_13671512” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Jannik Sinner came from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev and win the Australian Open. AP[/caption] Exemplifying the 2019 ATP Newcomer of the Year’s exploits in Melbourne is the comeback from two-sets-to-love in the final. Medvedev approached the net twice as many times as Sinner (45 to 21) and hit nearly as many winners (50 to 44) to keep pace with the lanky Italian. But when Medvedev erred, Sinner stepped in and capitalised on the opportunities. The Russian stood two points from an opportunity to serve for the title but buckled. In the final game, it was Sinner’s turn to come under pressure at 30-0 to see it become 30-30. But as Daniil let the aggressive tennis draw down, it allowed Sinner to punch in and seal the deal. “You just have to force yourself to push through those moments to come up with the big shots and believe and be brave through those moments,” Sinner’s coach Cahill said. “Once you get to a fourth or fifth set, it really just becomes about what lies inside you. “He had the answers inside him.” This was the first Australian Open final without Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal since 2005. Even though Sinner believes 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz is ahead of him having won multiple Masters 1000 titles and two Grand Slam trophies, including Wimbledon last year, there is headway into a non-Big 3 era and it has been cracking nonetheless.