Rafael Nadal-Daniil Medvedev Australian Open final was a bit better than Carlos Alcaraz-Novak Djokovic Wimbledon final in drama, says tennis analyst

The summit clash between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships was one of the most dramatic matches in recent history. However, tennis analyst Gill Gross believes that the 2022 Australian Open final between Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev was even better in terms of drama.

Carlos Alcaraz downed Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, outlasting the four-time defending champion in a thrilling five-set showdown with a final scoreline of 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.

In the Monday Match Analysis podcast, tennis analyst Gill Gross stated that the Nadal-Medvedev showpiece in Melbourne last year was more dramatic than the summit clash recently witnessed at the All-England Club. However, he added that both matches were at par in terms of the quality of tennis on display.

"Well, definitely Nadal-Medvedev Australian Open 2021. I thought that match was a little bit better in terms of drama. I think quality-wise they were similar," Gross said.

Gross further stated that Nadal's "improbable" recovery against Medvedev was one of the greatest five-set comebacks ever, which he believes makes the match marginally more memorable than Alcaraz-Djokovic's SW19 clash.

"I think for Nadal to come up with the comeback that he did it was so improbable. It was one of the great best-of-five set comebacks given all of the circumstances that I think I've ever seen and in that respect, I thought it was a slightly more memorable match than this Wimbledon match," he added.

In the 2022 Australian Open final, Rafael Nadal overcame a nervy start to defeat Daniil Medvedev and win his 21st Major. The Spaniard's recovery from two sets down to overpower the Russian star in an epic five-setter, 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5, was adjudged as the 'Best Comeback' by the Tennis Hall of Fame.

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Carlos Alcaraz's win over Novak Djokovic made him the youngest player in Open Era to lift the Wimbledon trophy

Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon 2023

Carlos Alcaraz won the US Open title last season at just 19 years of age, to become the youngest player in 32 years (since Pete Sampras, 1990) to triumph at Flushing Meadows.

Less than a year after his maiden Grand Slam crown, Alcaraz delivered another historic win. The Spaniard beat Novak Djokovic to lift the Wimbledon 2023 title, making him the youngest player in the Open Era to win the grasscourt Major.

Furthermore, Carlos Alcaraz is just the fifth player to win multiple Majors before turning 21. Other notable players to have achieved the feat are Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander, Boris Becker, and Rafael Nadal.