"Letting me win at least 1 match" - Jannik Sinner hilariously thanks Daniil Medvedev as Russian loses to him for 1st time ever in China Open final

Jannik Sinner made a hilarious remark about his head-to-head record against Daniil Medvedev after clinching the 2023 China Open title. On Wednesday, October 4, Jannik Sinner earned his sweet revenge against Daniil Medvedev by defeating him in straight sets 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) at the ATP 500 final in Beijing.

This was their third meeting of the year, with the first two going the Russian’s way in the finals of the ATP 500 in Rotterdam and the Masters 1000 in Miami. In fact, the victory was Sinner’s first ever against Medvedev, having lost the previous six.

During the trophy ceremony, Jannik Sinner hilariously mentioned his disappointing record against Daniil Medvedev by thanking the World No. 3 for showing mercy this time around.

“Daniil, thanks for letting me win at least one match,” he said, laughing.

“We had some very tough battles, especially this year. And, as you said, third time lucky,” he added, referring to their two previous finals.

Sinner noted that he has become a better player as a result of his consecutive losses to Daniil Medvedev. The 22-year-old revealed that he and his team spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out a way to beat the Russian.

“Most importantly, thanks for making me a much better player. We’ve been practicing a lot for trying to beat you. So, thank you so much,” he said.

He also congratulated Daniil Medvedev’s team for the highly successful season. The former World No. 1 has featured in eight finals this season so far, including the 2023 US Open. He has won five titles, including the Masters 1000 in Miami and Rome.

“Congrats also to you guys. You are making an incredible season. I wish you all the best for the last couple of tournaments. There’s not so many left but hopefully we both can do some great results there also,” Sinner said.

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"I am happy to be in the position I am" – Jannik Sinner on reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 4 after China Open

Jannik Sinner with the China Open trophy after defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final

Jannik Sinner will assume a career-high ranking of World No. 4 following his successful campaign at the China Open. The ranking is a testament to the Italian’s consistency this season.

Sinner clinched three of his nine career titles in 2023—at the ATP 250 in Montpellier, the Masters 1000 in Toronto, and most recently in Beijing.

He also featured in two other finals—in Miami and Rotterdam. He additionally made the final four of the Wimbledon Championships for the first time in his career.

Sinner spoke about his ranking milestone after winning the China Open.

“It means a lot, for sure. Me and my team, we practice a lot. We have high expectations, obviously,” the 22-year-old said of his Top-5 debut.

The Italian, however, added that he is focusing less on the rankings and more on improving his form.

“But it makes the work feel more fun. You want to improve. For me, the ranking right now is not so important. I know that I have to improve many things, let’s see in the future. For sure, I am happy to be in the position I am, but obviously, there’s still a lot of work to do,” he said.