“Prefer not to have this lesson,” Daniil Medvedev still not over loss to Rafael Nadal at 2022 Australian Open finals as Jannik Sinner carves newer scars

Daniil Medvedev shares his disappointment after losing the 2022 Australian Open, comparing it to his recent loss against Jannik Sinner.

“Prefer not to have this lesson,” Daniil Medvedev still not over loss to Rafael Nadal at 2022 Australian Open finals as Jannik Sinner carves newer scars

(L-R)Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner. (credits: Imago)

Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev has been by far one of the most consistent tennis players for the last few years.

However, interestingly enough, there is one tournament, or rather one such loss, that Medvedev has still not forgotten, which was his 2022 Australian Open finals loss.

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For the uninitiated, Medvedev has won one single Grand Slam title in his career until now, which was at the 2021 US Open. In just the next Grand Slam tournament, Medvedev was yet again in stellar form, ripping away opponents for fun until he met Rafael Nadal in the finals. 

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In a press conference held in Dubai, the current World No. 4 talked about how disappointed he still is and how he plans on making it a story of the past. 

I don't know, because for sure I'm still disappointed because that one was close.
Daniil Medvedev said

That’s not all; he even compared it to his recent Australian Open defeat against Jannik Sinner, which ended in a five-set defeat.

Closer than the Jannik match. Also mentally with the crowd and this and that. Somewhere in the match I really felt like I'm there, not that I have to win it, but I was really close in my mind.” "Not sure it's even a lesson. I would prefer not to have this lesson.
Continuing further, he added

Comparing Medvedev’s loss against Nadal to his loss against Sinner

Medvedev was in red-hot form in the 2021 calendar year, picking up wins at the Canadian Masters and the US Open. 

Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev with their respective 2022 Australian Open titles.
Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev with their respective 2022 Australian Open titles. (credits: Diario AS)

With everyone expecting great things from the Russian, Medvedev did live up to the expectations of his fans, making it to the finals of the 2022 Australian Open. He faced Rafael Nadal for a chance to lift his second Slam but, in the end, failed to make the opportunity count.

He did take a 2-0 lead in the match but eventually lost the finals by a scoreline of 2–6, 6–7, 6–4, 6–4, 7–5, with the match extending to about a total of 5 hours and 24 minutes. 

And recently, at the Australian Open, after two years, he yet again made it to the finals. However, this time he faced defeat at the hands of young talent Jannik Sinner in a much similar fashion. Medvedev was ahead by two sets in this final as well, but bottled it yet again, losing the finals by 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

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