"Tried to leave it behind" - Daniil Medvedev denies being haunted by Rafael Nadal comeback after similar loss to Jannik Sinner in Australian Open 2024

Daniil Medvedev blew a two-sets-to-love lead in a Major final for the second time in his career on Sunday (January 28), losing the 2024 Australian Open final to Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 2-6.

Speaking to the media following the defeat, Medvedev was asked by a reporter whether his defeat to Rafael Nadal from two sets up two years ago in Melbourne affected him during his encounter against Sinner.

In response, the Russian refuted the possibility of the 2022 Australian Open final bearing on his mind, insisting that he played at a respectable level throughout.

"Yeah, I didn't think much about Rafa match, because I really tried to leave it behind, so I don't think it had any issues," Daniil Medvedev said during his press conference. "And today, again, I didn't feel like suddenly when I was two sets to love up I stopped playing and let's say went behind the baseline and started doing like lobs. I didn't really do bad mistakes."

The 27-year-old also praised Jannik Sinner for not only switching up his tactics, but for also having enough in his tank to come out on top of the five-set match.

"I think what happened is he started to play better, a little bit different tactically, because I propose him something different in the beginning of the match, which was very aggressive," the Russian added. "I got a little tired physically... Jannik didn't really, and there were some points in the end where he didn't seem as tired as my opponents before."

"He started playing better. I got a little bit tired. Serve went a little bit worse. So the momentum changed and I really tried in my mind to change it back again, because that's what tennis is about."

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"Now I'm dreaming more than ever" - Daniil Medvedev on 'kid stopped dreaming' remark from Australian Open 2022 defeat to Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev after their 2022 Australian Open final

Daniil Medvedev had blown a two-sets-to-love lead in the 2022 Australian Open final, losing to Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6(5), 4-6, 4-6, 5-7. The Russian was so distraught at the result that he claimed that 'the little kid inside him had stopped dreaming' during his post-match press conference.

"I'm going to say it like this. If there is a tournament on hard courts in Moscow, before Roland Garros or Wimbledon, I'm going to go there even if I miss the Wimbledon or Roland Garros or whatever. The kid stopped dreaming," Daniil Medvedev said in 2022. "The kid is going to play for himself. That's it. That's my story."

A journalist brought back the above remark during Daniil Medvedev's press conference in Melbourne on Sunday, imploring him to list the difference in his feelings now and back then. The World No. 3 was quick to point out that he had a much more positive outlook on his career at the moment, claiming that he was "dreaming more than ever."

"Yeah, different feeling, different circumstances, I would say. Now I'm dreaming more than ever, probably not today, but in general in life. But I would say it's not anymore a kid who is dreaming," the Russian said. "It's me myself right now, a 27-year-old who is dreaming, and who's doing everything that is possible for my future and for my present. I love it."

"That's why I made it to the final. I wanted to win. I was close. Was I really close or not? Tough to say, but was not far. Yeah, the scoreline is similar but I think the match would be a bit different."