Australian Open: why there is more at stake for Djokovic than for Medvedev

Of course, the king has long since recognized that they want to snatch the scepter out of his hand.

Above all, Daniil Medvedev, who is around eight years younger than him, is becoming increasingly impatient and is already shaking the throne violently.

Accordingly, a few days ago Novak Djokovic saw the time had come to address a few words of power to the competition.

He will not “simply leave” his kingdom to Medvedev and Co. in Melbourne or in the world rankings, so Djokovic in an exclusive interview with Eurosport. “

 The y’ll have to work their asses for that.”

 The  Serb strives for the highest goal, wants to go down in history as the greatest player of all time.

He absolutely needs this Australian Open title (the final on Sunday from 9:15 a.m. in the live ticker and on Eurosport 1 on TV), because Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal already have 20 Grand Slam successes on their account. Djokovic is at 17 and can no longer afford lost major finals.

Medvedev also knows that very well. “Novak has not yet lost a final here in Melbourne and has all the pressure, he simply has more to lose than me,” said the 25-year-old as the favorite of the world number one. Knowing that he has good cards to dethrone Djokovic.

In a direct comparison just 3: 4 behind, Medvedev clearly won the last duel at the ATP Finals 2020 in London 6: 3, 6: 3.

 The  man from Moscow has been unbeaten in 20 games, with eleven of these victories against top ten players.

An intimidating record. Suitable for overthrowing kings.

If the omens are not deceptive, then the audience can expect a tough fight for the title in the Rod Laver Arena. Djokovic has proven once again in the past two weeks that he is able to take anything.

Before the tournament started, he came under heavy criticism after speaking out in favor of quarantine easing. In lap three, the defending champion suffered a muscle injury to his stomach that some colleagues and experts did not really want to relieve him of. In between, Djokovic vented his displeasure with what he saw as unfair reporting on himself.

“Of course it hurts when you are criticized for no reason and treated differently. But in a way, that’s the path I’ve chosen,” said the superstar. It’s a very successful path. He threw Taylor Fritz, Milos Raonic, Alexander Zverev and Aslan Karatsev out of the competition.

In the quarter-finals against Zverev, Djokovic hit 23 aces and then spoke of the “best tournament of his career” with a view to his serve.

As is so often the case: when the decisive phase is reached, the Belgrade man shows his full potential. And: In contrast to the games of the past few days, Djokovic trained properly again the day before the final, the Bach muscle complaints are forgotten.

“Novak is slowly getting back into his physical and mental condition,” said Eurosport expert Boris Becker, which inevitably leads to the question: What can Djokovic still have in the quiver if he has been beaten so far and still has reached the final?

We will experience it together with Medvedev. “I don’t see myself as an outsider”, the world number four said, “rather as a challenger”. Either way, he’s going to have to work his ass …

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