The 2024 Australian Open is finally ending, and Daniil Medvedev and his opponent Jannik Sinner must be feeling the jitters before the big game. But two other people who must be feeling nervous are their coaches, Gilles Cervara and Darren Cahill respectively. The tennis world could not be more excited for the final and the ticket prices are already soaring. Ahead of the finals tomorrow i.e. Sunday, 28th January, Medvedev’s coach Gilles Cervara spoke to the media about his pupil. Amidst all the questions, he addressed Medvedev’s childish nature at times.
“How much of a mystery is Daniil Medvedev to you still? Because (laughs), you just said like you’re watching him solve the situation in some miraculous way and so on. What do say to that?” asked a reporter to Cervara.
Cervara too, couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, before proceeding to answer the question. The reporter asked that question since Cervara alluded that even after seven years of working side-by-side, he is still witnessing Medvedev solve situations on his own. Just like winning the fifth set against Alexander Zverev 6-3.
Before this question, Cervara was stressing the fact that Medvedev has played so many five-set matches, but he mostly wins the final set if he doesn’t overthink what he has to do.
This is exactly where the reporter’s question came in, asking him if he still finds Medvedev a “mystery”.
“I don’t think he’s a mystery because I always tell myself that it’s possible with him. I know that, whatever happens, he’s always looking for a solution. The mystery lies more in what he does on the court sometimes. He’s number 3 in the world, but I feel like I’m talking to a teenager. It’s like asking someone with a driver’s license how they drive. When you ask Daniil about certain things in his game, he doesn’t have an answer because he himself doesn’t know how he does them,” answered (in brief) Cervara to the reporter.
Cervara’s answer regarding Medvedev’s mystery lies in the fact that the Russian player often finds solutions without even knowing them. It’s almost like the imagery of a baffled kid just doing things without precision, but always being right. It could be a shot that looked like Medvedev would surely miss and turn it into his point. Or it could simply be luring his opponent into thinking he is faltering, before shocking them with a clutch point.
Cervara was also subtly humble in his answer. He was putting all the credit on Medvedev for his game and not stealing the limelight for himself. However, the genius of Medvedev will be tested on Sunday when he takes on Sinner, who has been phenomenal. This will be Medvedev’s third Australian Open final where he will look to win his second Grand Slam title.
