A monumental battle sees World No. 4 Jannik Sinner earning his maiden title at the Erste Bank Open by prevailing over defending champion Daniil Medvedev on Sunday’s final.
On a level of their own, top seeds Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner delivered high-class performances at the Erste Bank Open final, their fourth meeting at a tour-level championship match this season, Sunday in Vienna.
The first Italian man to win four titles in a single season achieved so on Sunday, taking down the defending champion 7-6(7), 4-6, 6-3 after three brutal hours, claiming his first crown at the ATP 500 and his tenth overall.
Assessing the showdown, the brand-new champion, Sinner, said: “It took a lot of mental and physical stuff. I think we both served very well [in] the first set. I managed somehow to get back on serve when he was a break up because I felt like he was serving really well. I found a way in the first set.”
A balanced start to the opener saw the 2021 US Open champion striking first as they exchanged breaks of serve between the fourth and fifth games.
Under pressure, both continued to rally, holding behind their serve, and with little to separate the top seeds, the grueling fight reflected on the scoreboard after the San Candido native saved a set point to draw level at 6-6, forcing a tiebreak, which he took on his third set point.
Medvedev got the better of the China Open winner in the second set, mastering his powerful forehand while staying sharp on serve – won 71 percent of the first serve points – he gave his all to notch a 6-4 win, driving into a final set.
Speaking about his performance across the final, Sinner outlined: “Second set, I felt like he was trying to get into the rally a little bit more, and I was hustling a little bit. In the third set, I tried to step up a little bit. I had a lot of breakpoints I couldn’t use, and then at the end, I used them, so I’m very happy.”
“Obviously, to finish the match, it was really a mental thing, but I’m very happy about how I managed today and very happy for another title.”
In the final chapter of an epic championship match, the 20-time ATP titlist made the 22-year-old work for glory, who fended off nine breakpoints to steal a break in the fourth game after 20 minutes.
However, moving ahead of the former world number one would prove a challenging task when he broke straight back.
The decisive moment of the set came in the sixth game when Sinner charged back to produce a pivotal double break and held, firing his fifth ace to extend his lead 5-2.
And on his second match point, he closed out the set 6-3, emerging victorious over the 27-year-old on Austrian soil without dropping a set on his way to the final.
All in all, the Italian hit 36 winners to 22 unforced errors, converting 4 of 16 breakpoint opportunities and saving 9 of 13.
During the trophy ceremony, Medvedev addressed his adversary, stating: “Big congrats to Jannik. It was a tough match; at one moment, I thought I could maybe get you. I didn’t manage to do it.”
“Hopefully, we can play more finals, maybe even this year. Big congrats, you’re playing great, finishing the year strong.”
The World No. 3 toppled his rival in Rotterdam and Miami, while the latter overpowered the Moscow-born player in Beijing and Vienna.
Next, the last Masters 1000 of the season, the Rolex Paris Masters, staged at the Accor Arena from October 28 to November 5.