Jannik Sinner defeats Daniil Medvedev to reach biggest final of career at ATP Finals

On Thursday, Jannik Sinner became the first Italian player ever to reach the semifinals of the ATP Finals, and on Saturday he one-upped himself, defeating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to become the first Italian player ever to reach the final of the season-ending event.

The 22-year-old rising star is now through to the biggest final of his career, too—and he's done it in front of his home crowd in Turin.

And there’s more: with his 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-1 victory over the No. 3-ranked Medvedev, Sinner—who’s currently ranked a career-high No. 4—has now won his last six matches in a row against Top 5 players.

Early on his career, Sinner struggled against Top 5 players, starting off 0-13 against them. But then he started gathering steam, going 4-6 between July 2022 and July 2023, and now he’s on fire—since the tour switched back to hardcourts after Wimbledon he’s 6-0 against them.

JANNIK SINNER VS TOP 5 PLAYERS:

• l. to No. 5 Medvedev in 2020 Marseille 2nd Rd, 1-6, 6-1, 6-2
• l. to No. 2 Nadal in 2020 Roland Garros QFs, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-1
• l. to No. 3 Medvedev in 2021 Marseille QFs, 6-2, 6-4
• l. to No. 1 Djokovic in 2021 Monte Carlo 2nd Rd, 6-4, 6-2
• l. to No. 5 Tsitsipas in 2021 Barcelona SFs, 6-3, 6-3
• l. to No. 3 Nadal in 2021 Rome 2nd Rd, 7-5, 6-4
• l. to No. 3 Nadal in 2021 Roland Garros 4th Rd, 7-5, 6-3, 6-0
• l. to No. 4 Zverev in 2021 US Open 4th Rd, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7)
• l. to No. 2 Medvedev in 2021 ATP Finals RR, 6-0, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (8)
• l. to No. 4 Tsitsipas in 2022 Australian Open QFs, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
• l. to No. 3 Zverev in 2022 Monte Carlo QFs, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (5)
• l. to No. 5 Tsitsipas in 2022 Rome QFs, 7-6 (5), 6-2
• l. to No. 3 Djokovic in 2022 Wimbledon QFs, 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
• d. No. 5 Alcaraz in 2022 Umag F, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-1
• l. to No. 4 Alcaraz in 2022 US Open QFs, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3
• l. to No. 4 Medvedev in 2022 Vienna QFs, 6-4, 6-2
• l. to No. 4 Tsitsipas in 2023 Australian Open 4th Rd, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3
• d. No. 3 Tsitsipas in 2023 Rotterdam 2nd Rd, 6-4, 6-3
• d. No. 5 Fritz in 2023 Indian Wells QFs, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
• l. to No. 2 Alcaraz in 2023 Indian Wells SFs, 7-6 (4), 6-3
• d. No. 1 Alcaraz in 2023 Miami SFs, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2
• l. to No. 5 Medvedev in 2023 Miami F, 7-5, 6-3
• l. to No. 2 Djokovic in 2023 Wimbledon SFs, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4)
• d. No. 2 Alcaraz in 2023 Beijing SFs, 7-6 (4), 6-1
• d. No. 3 Medvedev in 2023 Beijing F, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2)
• d. No. 5 Rublev in 2023 Vienna SFs, 7-5, 7-6 (5)
• d. No. 3 Medvedev in 2023 Vienna F, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-3
• d. No. 1 Djokovic in 2023 ATP Finals RR, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2)
• d. No. 3 Medvedev in 2023 ATP Finals SFs, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-1
  

After storming through the first set, Sinner looked on the verge of winning in straight sets as he built a 0-30 lead in Medvedev’s 4-all service game in the second set—but the 2021 US Open champion held and eventually played a near-flawless tie-break to push it to a third.

But from there Sinner caught fire once again, grabbing an early break en route to a 3-0 lead, and then—after Medvedev held to get on the board—winning another three games in a row to run away with it.

After losing their first six meetings in a row, Sinner has started to take control of his head-to-head with Medvedev, winning their last three meeetings, all during the fall season this year—he beat him in the finals of ATP 500 events in Beijing and Vienna, and now in the semifinals here.

Standing between Sinner and the biggest title of his career will be either world No. 1 Novak Djokovic or world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, who play each other in a blockbuster second semifinal at night.