Australian Open Odds: Men's Final Tips & Preview

Novak Djokovic’s dramatic withdrawal from the 2022 Australian Open, a tournament he has won nine times before, was always likely to result in the most open men’s singles at a Grand Slam event for a long time. This has proved to be the case, but the end outcome is two familiar names in Sunday’s showpiece match.

Rafael Nadal is looking to make history as the first male player in the open era to reach 21 in the Grand Slam titles tally. His comeback has been remarkable, but he will face a player who made his Grand Slam breakthrough at last year’s US Open in the form of Daniil Medvedev. Here is some information, statistics and tips ahead of the 2022 Australian Open men’s singles final.

Daniil Medvedev (2) v Rafael Nadal (6)

As soon as Djokovic was forced to withdraw from the 2022 Australian Open, the names of Medvedev and Nadal were mentioned as players who would look at this tournament as a golden opportunity. In the case of Medvedev, this is a chance to announce him as the best player in the men’s game right now. For Nadal, history beckons as the best player of all-time.

Physically, Medvedev has had to dig deep to get through to Sunday’s men’s singles final. Felix Auger-Aliassime pushed the Russian all the way in the quarter-finals, but Medvedev came through in five sets. Stefanos Tsitsipas also tested the number two seed in the semi-finals, but Medvedev’s defensive skills saw him won in four sets.

Nadal has also been tested physically, most notably by Denis Shapovalov who took the Spaniard to five sets in the five sets in the quarter-finals. The 35-year-old experienced some stomach issues in that match, but has absorbed everything that has been thrown at him over the last two weeks, which is remarkable for a player who hasn’t played a Grand Slam tournament since the 2021 French Open.

Famously, Nadal is one of the most aggressive players ever seen in the men’s game. His forehand is a weapon and wins him countless points from the back of the court. However, Medvedev will be difficult to hit through. Nadal must be careful not to make too many unforced errors as he looks to force the issue against one of the best defenders on the tour.

Medvedev is arguably the most consistent player on the men’s tour right now. He made the final of the 2021 Australian Open and can go one step further here after winning the 2021 US Open. Medvedev can make his own form of his history by winning on Sunday - never before in the open era has a male player followed up a maiden Grand Slam title with another one in the next Grand Slam event.

If Nadal can keep the points short and attack anything that drops into the mid-court, he can hurt Medvedev. Tsitsipas made the mistake of not committing to volleys at the net even when he was in position in the semi-finals. Nadal must learn from this and might have to employ some variety to unsettle Medvedev just as Maxime Cressy did earlier in the tournament. Nadal will have to be smart with his point construction.

This promises to be a blockbuster match. Nadal leads the head-to-head record 3-1, but Medvedev came out on top in his last meeting against the Spaniard - at the 2020 ATP Finals. Nadal, however, has won the two matches he has played against Nadal on outdoor hard courts. There’s no doubt the next generation is finally rising to the top in the men’s game, but Nadal is proving there is plenty life left in the old guard.