Melbourne (AFP)

Unbeaten for nearly four months and packed with confidence, Daniil Medvedev, too strong for Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday, will challenge Novak Djokovic on his favorite playground in the final of the Australian Open.

Impossible to overflow or almost, and intractable in the service, Medvedev (4th) left no chance to Tsitsipas (6th), muzzled in three sets (6-4, 6-2, 7-5) in just over two hours, to afford his second Grand Slam final, a year and a half after his first (US Open 2019, lost against Nadal).

The day before, Djokovic, freed from his abdominal pain, had put an end to him in three sets (6-3, 6-4, 6-2) to the crazy adventure of the Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev (114th).

It will be the ninth final at the Australian Open of world No.1, more than a victory of an 18th Grand Slam coronation, which would bring him closer to the record of twenty trophies co-held by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

"He's never lost in the final here, he's under all the pressure, he's chasing Roger and Rafa," said Medvedev.

"I just hope I will show my best tennis, I know I can beat some big names if I play well. He obviously has more experience, but also more to lose," he insists.

- 20/20 -

We don't stop Medvedev anymore.

Straddling 2020 and 2021, the 25-year-old Russian is now on a streak of twenty consecutive victories.

He won successively at the Masters 1000 in Paris, the Masters at the end of the season, then the ATP Cup with Russia earlier this month, before reaching the final in Melbourne.

His last defeat dates back to October 30, in the quarter-finals in Vienna, against South African Kevin Anderson (6-4, 7-6).

Perhaps more impressive still, Medvedev is also on a 12-game winning streak against Top 10 players.

How does he explain this impressive dynamic?

"I don't really have the answer, I just worked hard my whole life. Before Paris, honestly I didn't feel my tennis at all, I was losing close matches, and I managed to find it, recounts- he. Until then it holds, I hope to be able to stay a little longer on this momentum. "

Facing Tsitsipas on Friday, the wall put up by Medvedev in the exchange and his serving authority quickly took precedence over Tsitsipas' offensive intentions.

After two sets, the young Greek (22 years old), knocking down Rafael Nadal in the previous round, still had not obtained the slightest break point.

In the third round, a jump while he was on the verge of a double break (3-1), allowed him to come back to 4 everywhere, and even to get a break point to lead 5-4.

But Medvedev erased it with an ace and resumed his relentless march forward.

- "A little scared" -

A breathtaking backhand passing gave him a final break two games later.

"I was a little scared and I got a little tense because it's a Grand Slam semi-final, and for us, it's not the 50th like for Novak or Roger!, He smiles. But I'm glad I managed to get myself back. "

Since the start of the tournament, Medvedev has finally known only one alert, in the third round, when Filip Krajinovic (33rd) has recovered two sets behind.

Otherwise, he made it through the Australian fortnight in supercharged mode, knocking service, and almost impossible to spill over into the game.

Against Djokovic on Sunday, he will this time have the experience of a first major final, at the US Open 2019. Lost certainly, but not without having pushed Nadal in the fifth set after being led two sets to zero.

"I played a crazy game against Rafa, one of the best players in history. If we have a crazy game with Novak, another of the best, maybe this experience can turn things in my favor, and not against me, ”Medvedev said.

It will not be superfluous, because on the other side of the net, except for another rebound, all will be well for "Djoko", passed on the verge of abandonment in the third round, affected in the abdominals.

"I didn't feel so good the whole tournament, I played painlessly, it comes at the right time," said the Serbian after qualifying for the final.

© 2021 AFP