Daniil Medvedev is a Zen master.
Now there's a description no one would have expected of the Russian who proudly wore the title of tennis villain for years.
But Medvedev went out of his way to say he is a changed man and credits this new attitude as a reason to play in his third Australian Open final.
Instead of shooting someone in the crowd or provoking his opponent during the match with questionable tactics, the No. 3 seed tries to let things go.
Even during his epic semi-final match against arch-enemy Alexander Zverev, Medvedev managed to maintain his composure even when he was two sets down and on the brink.
“I want to change, I want to become, I don't want to say a better person, because I don't like those labels, 'a better person.' Who knows what a better person is? He said.
“I just want to be better with myself. Don't I have those moments after games where I feel like I did this to the crowd, was it right, was it wrong, why did I do that? Did it help me on the court? Didn't it help me?”
“I just don't want to have it anymore. I want to play tennis, I want to be proud of myself, I want to fight and stuff like that.
“Could this help me win all these matches? Maybe yes. But I also don't want to say yes, one month ago I decided it and then suddenly I won all these matches. Life is not that easy.”
“But I'm doing what I told myself to do a month ago. I'm happy with it and looking forward to what's next.”
At the end of last season, Medvedev did something he had not done in years, which was to take a long break. He was mentally and physically exhausted, and while he was recharging his batteries in the Maldives, his new Zen-like style was born.
“It was during my vacation, so I think it was like the first, let's say, pre-season vacation I've had in four or five years. I think the year before was in 2020, so that's a long time,” Medvedev said.
“For whatever reason, my mind wouldn't stop thinking there, because at the end of the season, I would feel so mentally tired, so tired. So, every game I play, there's something that's bothering me, you know, with the crowd, with someone else. I agree with myself 100%.
“So, over this vacation, I've been trying some new things, some new breathing exercises, whatever. I was, like, wow, this feels good. I know a little more about my body now. I know a little more about my mind. Maybe, I know more about why this happens.” The things.
“Anywhere before, I would just be like, 'Okay, this happened. Let's look to the future. Where I'm trying now, okay, why is this happening, because I'm like this. So what can I do next, tomorrow, today.'
“I just decided I wanted to try. The hardest part is sometimes you forget about it in one week. You just move it away. It happened to me once, I had an injury and within one week I thought, OK, now I'll change my mind and in one month it was gone.”
“So I don’t know how long it will last, but so far I’m 100 percent into it, and when I’m 100 percent into something, I tend to do it until the end.”
The final match was to win his second Grand Slam title.
This will be his sixth appearance in a major final, with his only success coming in 2021 when he defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets at the US Open.
He lost two straight Australian Open wins in 2021-22, the first to Djokovic in three sets, and 12 months later, he came up short in an epic five-set clash against Rafael Nadal.
The man standing in his way on Sunday night is rising Italian star Jannik Sinner. The pair have played nine times and Medvedev has won the first six meetings but has been on the wrong side of the ledger in the past three matches.
“There was not much tactical change when he won the last three matches,” Medvedev said. “He's hitting more serves and volleys, maybe a little more aggressive, but at the same time that's what he does against everyone. He's playing better.
“The three matches, they were all tough. Two tiebreaks and three sets, so I got my chance.
“They were all at the end of the season where I felt like I wasn't 100 per cent, even if I was playing very well, but I was probably 97 or 96. Against him, you have to be at your best.” 100.
“He is playing better than before, especially at the end of the season he started playing at a completely different level. So, if I want to beat him, I have to raise my game to a completely different level, and I will try to do that.”
Originally published as New champion: How hot-headed Daniil Medvedev cooled his jets on his way to Australian Open final
