How are these people not toddlers?
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For the record:
- to my knowledge, two Australian Open semi-finals have finished after midnight (both on a Friday night, and both seeing Rafael Nadal defeat Fernando Verdasco and Grigor Dimitrov in 2009 and 2017, respectively. On both occasions he advanced to play Roger Federer in the championship match).
- Nadal is the only man to have played in all three Major finals to have finished after midnight (all at the Australian Open), winning two of them (2009 and 2022). The other one he lost, was the 2012 epic against Novak Djokovic which finished just after 1:30am in the morning.
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Daniil Medvedev is into his third Australian Open Final.
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Remember this well, yep went after midnight and it was an epic, we got the ‘fairytale final’ (as Woodbridge said on Seven commentary at the time) with the two legendary veterans, ‘Fedal’.
The “late” coding had more viewers than the earlier prime time codings, 1.2 or 1.4m metro from memory and a huge share. Even a pre coding movie re-run “The Net” made the Top 5 and Mediaweek reported it as fact that the movie aired and that’s what it rated 
You’re about 45min late
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Zverev had his chances to close out the match. In the fourth set tie break, he was leading 5-4 with two serves, however Medvedev won both points and went on to win the tie break 7-5, levelling at two sets all. That was the golden opportunity Medvedev needed.
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Aryna Sabalenka has defended her women’s singles title. She defeated Qinwen Zheng 6-3, 6-2 in 76 minutes but needed six match points before she prevailed.
Sabalenka joins the growing list of female players who won Australian Open without losing a set through the entire tournament.
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Very worthy winner. Sabalenka has had an outstanding tournament.
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Only the fourth woman since the turn of the century to do so after Jennifer Capriati (2001-02), Serena Williams (2009-10) and Victoria Azarenka (2012-13).
Had Williams not lost to Jelena Jankovic in the 2008 quarter-finals, she so easily could’ve won four-in-a-row (because she would’ve started the hot favourite to beat Maria Sharapova in the semis, and then Ana Ivanovic in the final).
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Predictions for tonight?
I think Sinner ftw in 3 sets.
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Probably the safe bet, but I’d prefer at least 4 sets if not 5 (something tells me Medvedev a chance for a comeback again even 2 sets down but that’d be a very tough ask and miracle given his semi and time spent on court this AO)… But Medvedev has the experience including two previous AO finals, other finals and is a Grand Slam champ vs Sinner where this is all going to be new. Maybe nerves vs mind over matter? Could be anything tonight 
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I think Medvedev in 5. It would be the first time two players won the AO in the same year not representing any country.
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Medvedev in 3 at this rate.
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15min in, going a bit early are we 
Me? Never 
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Must be remembered that he was up two sets, and a chance to break in the third, before Rafael Nadal pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in a Major final in recent history in 2022.
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We’ve seen Medvedev come back from 2 sets down and win before though, as well as play and win 5 setters in general… But what about Sinner if a bit of an upset brews and the opposite happens, could he do it?
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From the top of my head, here are some recent Major finals in which the victor has come from two sets to love down:
- 2022 Australian Open: Rafael Nadal def. Daniil Medvedev
- 2021 French Open: Novak Djokovic def. Stefanos Tsitsipas
- 2020 US Open: Dominic Thiem def. Alexander Zverev
- 2004 French Open: Gaston Gaudio def. Guillermo Coria (also saved a match point in the fifth set; and even lost the first set 6-0)
- 1999 French Open: Andre Agassi def. Andriy Medvedev (Agassi completed the only career Super Slam by a male player - i.e. winning all four Majors, Olympic singles gold and ATP Finals - with the win. This was also the first Major tournament in which Roger Federer participated)
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Med definitely the better player here. Will see if Sinner can pull ahead. He needs this set.
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I thought this could happen tonight, with everyone talking up Sinner and his Sabalenka-near flawless tournament plus Medvedev’s shaky finals, having to comeback and tournament time on court. Still could be a long way to go, but Sinner needs to lift a serious level here
Big trouble now.
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