Finalists have history in their sights in Melbourne and have been happy to make some sharp comments about the other
Many years ago, when the era of the big four was at its apex and four of the best players of all time would do battle just about every other week, their shared competitive nature would sometimes lead to mind games. One of the most obvious examples was the many discussions about which player was the favourite at any given tournament and would carry the most pressure. The players were often happy to give their opinion on the subject. Somehow, they rarely answered “me”.
In recent years, such comments are less common. It is most likely because they are all too old and they are more focused on themselves. But on Friday, as Daniil Medvedev basked in his semi-final victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas and was asked a generic question about the key to his final against Novak Djokovic, the discourse returned.
