MELBOURNE: Facts and figures ahead of Sunday's Australian Open men's final (x denotes seeding):
Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) v Daniil Medvedev (RUS x4)
Head-to-head: Djokovic leads 4-3
2020 ATP Finals, London, round-robin: Medvedev bt Djokovic 6-3, 6-3
2020 ATP Cup, Sydney, semi-final: Djokovic bt Medvedev 6-1, 5-7, 6-4
2019 Cincinnati, semi-final: Medvedev bt Djokovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
2019 Monaco, quarter-final: Medvedev bt Djokovic 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
2019 Australian Open, round of 16: Djokovic bt Medvedev 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3
2017 Eastbourne semi-final: Djokovic bt Medvedev 6-4, 6-4
2017 Davis Cup, World Group Round 1, Nis, Serbia: Djokovic bt Medvedev 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 1-0 ret
Fast facts
Novak Djokovic
Age: 33
Height: 6ft 2in/1.88m
World ranking: 1
Prize money: $145,861,177
Career titles: 81
Grand Slam titles: 17
Australian Open best: Champion (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020)
Coach: Marian Vajda, Goran Ivanisevic
The world number one's chance of taking a record-extending ninth Australian Open crown looked in jeopardy just over a week ago when he suffered a potentially tournament-ending abdominal injury in the third round against Taylor Fritz.
But he battled back with the help of painkillers to win in five sets and his injury has improved remarkably since, despite not training between matches.
"This is the best I've felt in the entire tournament," said Djokovic after ending the dream run of Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev to reach his ninth Australian Open final.
"I could swing through the ball. No pain. The best match so far. Couldn't be better timing for me to play my best tennis."
Never far from controversy -- such as when he launched the ill-fated Adria Tour at the height of the coronavirus pandemic last June -- an 18th Grand Slam singles title on Sunday would leave him just two behind the all-time record shared by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Path to the semi-final:
1st rd: bt Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 6-3, 6-1, 6-2
2nd rd: bt Frances Tiafoe (USA) 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/2), 6-3
3rd rd: bt Taylor Fritz (USA x27) 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2
4th rd: bt Milos Raonic (CAN x14) 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
Quarter-final: bt Alexander Zverev (GER x6) 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6)
Semi-final: bt Aslan Karatsev (RUS) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Fast facts
Daniil Medvedev
Age: 25
Height: 6ft 6in/1.98m
World ranking: 4
Prize money: $14,707,309
Career titles: 9
Grand Slam titles: 0
Australian Open best: Final (2021)
Coach: Gilles Cervara
Medvedev has the best form of any men's player over the past few months -- a 20-match winning streak dating back to November.
During Medvedev's flawless run he has won titles at the Paris Masters, the ATP Finals in London and the ATP Cup with Team Russia.
The Russian will move to second in the world rankings with a win on Sunday -- the first man other then Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Djokovic or Andy Murray to occupy a spot in top two since July 2005 when Lleyton Hewitt was ranked two, behind Federer. Will move to number three if he loses.
In his only previous Slam final at the 2019 US Open, came from two sets down to give Nadal a huge scare.
"I played against Rafa in this crazy US Open match," he said. "It's an experience that maybe, if we're going to have some crazy match (in the final), can turn some things for me and not against me."
Path to the semi-final:
1st rd: bt Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-2, 6-2, 6-4
2nd rd: bt Roberto Carballes (ESP) 6-2, 7-5, 6-1
3rd rd: bt Filip Krajinovic (SRB x28) 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-0
4th rd: bt Mackenzie McDonald (USA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-3
Quarter-final: bt Andrey Rublev (RUS x7) 7-5, 6-3, 6-2
Semi-final: bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) 6-4, 6-2, 7-5