Daniil Medvedev plays the ultimate villain by crushing Alexander Zverev’s Australian Open dreams

One turning point might just have been at 5-5 in the third set, when Medvedev appeared to find a new wind by winning the point of the match. In a 20-shot rally that spanned the entire court, the 27-year-old raced toward the net to track down his opponent’s stab volley and caused Zverev to fall to the ground with a brilliant forehand pass on the run.

His fourth set escape was even more dramatic. When Zverev was two points from closing out the pair’s second successive tie-break following the long double fault from Medvedev, the No. 3 seed punished the German’s passive backhand slice to take control of the point, eventually finishing with a forehand winner.

What came next was only something Meddy could script. Off an out wide serve, the former world No. 1 somehow found a forehand drop shot return winner to regain the mini break. The next blow: an ace out wide to send their encounter into a decider to an erupting stadium crowd.

“Basically every time I went for a chip return was because I thought he was going to serve to the backhand. When it comes 200 (k.p.h.), don’t have time to change the grip, at least me,” explained Medvedev in his press conference.

“The side was against the wind. I think I was tight, so I shanked it. I, for sure, did I want to go at least short or no? I don’t even remember. Just tried to put it in, so I shanked it a little bit. It was not like a frame completely but I didn’t play it with the center. But the moment I saw it going, I was like there are two ways: Either it touches like the tape and stays on my side or it just kind of rolls over onto his side. I was, Please being the second one, I want to win. And it was the second one. Ttough luck for him, for sure, in this point. Managed to make an ace after, but that’s what tennis is about.”