A new champion has emerged at the Australian Open. Playing in his first Grand Slam final, Jannik Sinner (UTR Rating 16.23) rose to the occasion on Sunday, ousting Daniil Medvedev (16.02) to claim the men’s singles title.
UTR Sports INSIGHTS gave Sinner, now the first Italian man to win the Australian Open singles trophy, a 60 percent chance of taking home the crown ahead of the match.
It certainly was no easy feat. With Medvedev taking the first two sets, it appeared the 2021 US Open champion was on his way to his second Slam trophy. The 22-year-old is now one of only eight players to have ever come back from two sets down to win a men’s major singles final.
But Sinner did not buckle under the pressure. At the three hour and 44 minute mark, he hit a forehand winner to officially secure the 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 victory.
Sinner has now won four straight matches against Medvedev after initially dropping his first six encounters against the Russian.
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Sinner is the youngest champion in Melbourne since Novak Djokovic (16.21) in 2008 at the age of 20. He is the first player not named Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, or Roger Federer to win at Rod Laver Arena since 2014 – and only the second since 2005.
It’s definitely fitting as it was Sinner who vanquished 10-time Australian Open winner Djokovic in the semifinals. The upset advanced Sinner into his first major final and showed he was the one to beat. Sinner had also taken down Andrey Rublev (15.93) in the quarterfinals.
Sinner owns 11 ATP titles, with his biggest prior to this fortnight being the Masters 1000 trophy he lifted in Toronto last year.
The Australian Open title remains elusive for Medvedev, who was playing in his third final at the year’s opening major (also 2021 and 2022). The five-time Slam finalist also was the victim of a two-set comeback in the 2022 championship match, where he lost to Nadal in five sets.
Medvedev’s path to the final included wins over Alexander Zverev (15.91) in the semifinals and Hubert Hurkacz (15.73) in the quarters. Both of those matches also went the distance, with Medvedev actually recovering from two sets down versus Zverev.
Other results over the past fortnight saw Carlos Alcaraz (15.97) eliminated in the quarterfinals, while Taylor Fritz (15.74) flew the American flag into the final eight.
Two Frenchmen, at different ends of their careers, made headlines. Wild card Arthur Cazaux (14.98), age 21 and ranked world ATP No. 122, ousted Holger Rune in the second round en route to his maiden round of 16 appearance. Cazaux’s Adrian Mannarino (15.51) made the fourth round of a Slam for just the fifth time in his career at age 35.
As for UTR Pro Tennis Tour players in Melbourne, Alex Micheslsen enjoyed his best Grand Slam run yet in reaching the third round with wins over James McCabe and Jiri Lehecka. Michelsen won two $25K titles on the PTT tour before breaking through on the ATP. Two other PTT stars qualified for main draw appearances: Aussies Dane Sweeny and Omar Jasika.
* UTR Ratings as of Jan. 28, 2024.