“When you wake up like this, there are not magical things” – Sinner didn’t have the energy to contend with Medvedev in Miami

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed prior to a final against Daniil Medvedev is never a good idea…

Jannik Sinner 2023 Miami Open | AI / Reuters / Panoramic

April 2, 2023

Jannik Sinner saw the trainer and took a salt tablet to perk up during a changeover in the first set of Sunday’s Miami Open final against Daniil Medvedev. Long story short? It didn’t do him much good. Already carrying the baggage of an 0-5 lifetime record against the Russian, Sinner’s fatigue became another daunting obstacle to face on Sunday. It all added up to a 7-5, 6-3 loss – and an 0-6 lifetime record against his rival.

“When you wake up like this, there are not magical things,” Sinner would tell reporters after the match.

“Today was not my day”

Sinner was right there with Medvedev through ten games. The pair had traded breaks, and the Italian was having some success directing a lot of the traffic to his opponent’s forehand. It could have gone either way at that point.

As fatigue slowly set in, Sinner’s momentum would vanish, however.

Four games later he was down a set and a break, and though he kept fighting, the challenge of coming back against the game’s hottest hard court player proved too daunting.

“I woke up not in the best possible way,” Sinner would later say. “I felt a little bit sick, but we tried, you know, to go on the court, trying to give it a shot, give it a try. Unfortunately today was not my day.”

Though disappointed, Sinner was quick to recognize Medvedev’s sterling performance. More than anything, this was the reason he lost.

“I don’t want to take nothing away from Daniil. He was serving incredible. He was very brave with the way he played today. Obviously is one of the best players in the world. I tried. Today was not my day. Now it’s clay season.”

Daniil Medvedev 2023 Miami Open | AI / Reuters / Panoramic

Lesson learned? Let’s see…

Sinner can still hold his head high after a brilliant month that saw him reach the semi-finals at Indian Wells and the final in Miami. He even believes that he has made strides against Medvedev, and hopes to continue his progress in the weeks and months to come.

“I think also today we learned a lot for the next match,” he said. “[Daniil] Is for me one of the toughest opponents, for sure. The head-to-head says it. Let’s see in the next match.”

“It’s always going to be a tough challenge”

As Sinner said, the 0-6 lifetime record doesn’t lie. But the Italian is embracing the challenge and feels like he is making progress against Medvedev, despite what the scoreboard repeatedly says.

“Against Daniil I never won. It’s always going to be a tough, tough challenge for me to play against him, for sure. But I don’t know. I feel like I’m getting closer and closer,” he said.

“Even today I felt like that the chances are there, so that’s the good thing and the positive thing. Then we see in the future. But every player has this one or two players where you don’t feel that comfortable with. He’s for sure one of mine. I mean, he’s also one of the best players in the world, no?

“But still, for sure I have to improve to beat him, like all the other players they try to improve, and then we see in the future how it goes, but it’s gonna be a good challenge for me, a challenge what I am always looking forward to play against him.”