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The 2021 Australian Open has been an unusual tournament for many reasons, so there will be something comforting about the sight of Novak Djokovic taking to the court on Men’s Final day. This is his eighth time reaching this stage of the competition and he has come away with a win on all eight occasions. While this will be his third final in a row, he hasn’t looked quiet as invincible this time around.
He needed five sets to overcome American Taylor Fritz in Round 3, during which he reportedly suffered a torn abdominal muscle. Despite raising doubts about his own fitness, he recovered sufficiently to see off Milos Raonic and Alexander Zverev, before easily brushing aside qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the semi-final.
Sunday 08:30 – Novak Djokovic v Daniil Medvedev
Eurosport 1
To pick up his ninth title, Djokovic will have to get past 25-year-old Daniil Medvedev. The Russian comes into this encounter on a 20-match winning streak during which he has beaten Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev. He’s also picked up the Paris Masters and World Tour Finals trophies – and led Russia to victory in the ATP Cup to boot.
He’s only dropped two sets so far this tournament, beating fellow country man Andrey Rublev and Greek starStefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets. Going on form alone, Medvedev would seem to have the edge, but Djokovic can never be counted out in the Australian Open.
He also has greater experience playing in Grand Slam finals (28 v 1), so is unlikely to overwhelmed by the experience – even with the crowd cheering on his rival. With all that being said, we’ve also picked out a few slamming bets for you to check out.
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Either Player to Win the first set 7-5 or 7-6
Neither man will want to give an inch, so we’re expecting a tight first set – especially during the opening games. The winner of the first set will likely be determined by a single break of serve or come down to who can hold their nerve during a tiebreak.
Medvedev wins the match and both players to win a set
Daniil Medvedev has won the three out of the last four matches against Novak Djokovic and is probably the player Djokovic least wants to be facing in the final. If he’s going to win, he’ll have to play one of the best matches of his career and grind out the win over four or five sets, rather than coasting to a straight sets victory.
Both Players to serve an Ace in their Opening Service game
Early on, Djokovic will need to prove he’s fully injury free, while Medvedev will need to show he’s not overwhelmed by occasion. The best way to do this is by serving up some aces in their opening service games and laying down a marker from the start.
Australian Open men’s final tips summary:
Either Player to Win the first set 7-5 or 7-6
Medvedev wins the match and both players to win a set
Both Players to serve an Ace in their Opening Service game
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