Russell Martin hailed his players for keeping Southampton’s unbeaten run going via the late goal that secured a 1-1 FA Cup draw at Watford.

It had looked as though Matheus Martins’ early free-kick might turn out to be enough for the Hornets but substitute Stuart Armstrong’s leveller ensured there will be a replay at St Mary’s and extended Saints’ club-record run to 22 matches dating back to September.

The winners will travel to Liverpool in the last 16, with Jurgen Klopp’s side having beaten Norwich 5-2 at Anfield in another tie that was on the go when the fifth-round draw was made.

Manager Martin made nine changes to his usual league line-up but the second-half introduction of four experienced faces saw the tie saved.

He said of his players: “They have amazing mentality, they were relentless in the second half and the last half-hour in particular. They just won’t accept being beat, which is an amazing trait for any team to have and they deserved that.

“The goal was a rubbish one to concede, really poor. I said to the guys at half-time we just lacked a bit of aggression. There was a lot of disappointment because they wanted so badly to take their opportunity.

“We took that frustration into the second half and the guys who came on had a real impact in the game. We scored a little bit too late but we still kept trying to win it.

“It was a proper cup tie and the atmosphere was great. We had 4,000 fans on a Sunday afternoon in not the most glamorous of cup ties against a club in the same division that we have already played once this season.”

Martin felt the prospect of a trip to Anfield would be a big incentive for both sides to win the replay.

He said: “To play at Liverpool is a huge opportunity in Jurgen Klopp’s last season as manager. We have a number of players coming back from injury who will hopefully be ready for that game as well.”

Watford manager Valerien Ismael, who had made six changes, was disappointed his players could not hold out for the win.

But he argued holding Saints to successive 1-1 draws in the space of a few weeks – Watford scoring a late equaliser of their own on December 9 – was an achievement in itself.

“We needed a second goal – or to keep a clean sheet,” he said. “We were solid, disciplined and well-organised and over the the 90 minutes the mentality and the desire was there.

“The only thing I will say is we need to be more composed. We lost the ball too many times. If you want to become a top team you need to control the ball.

“At the end we put on players who are not fit at the moment and you could see the pace dropped but they need game time.

“We competed well against them, for the second time at home.

“We had quite a lot of chances, we were very dangerous but we ran out of energy to push and get the clean sheet to win the game.

“It showed we are able to compete with them. The second game will be interesting.”

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes praised his team for showing fighting spirit in their 1-1 draw at home to fellow strugglers Huddersfield.

The hosts were poor in a vital match for both sides at Loftus Road, where Jack Rudoni’s late goal looked like leaving third-from-bottom Rangers six points adrift of the Terriers who are immediately above them in the Championship table.

Kenneth Paal equalised in the fifth minute of stoppage time by kneeing a cross from Ilias Chair into the top corner of the net.

“Not a good performance and it was generally a poor game. I’m not very pleased with our performance,” Cifuentes admitted.

“Having said that, we knew there would be tension in this game because it was so important to both sides, so you could see we couldn’t get the grip on the game that we would have liked.

“Then we had to accept that the picture of the game was a lot of fight, a lot of duels and aerial situations.

“So I want to praise the guys, because after conceding a goal in that minute and having the courage and personality to chase the draw, and then to keep pushing to try to get the victory, shows that even when we’re not having our best performance the team is competing well.”

A win would have taken QPR out of the relegation zone, where they have been since September. They remain in deep trouble.

However, Cifuentes insisted: “To be able, on a day like today, when many things didn’t go well, to pick up a point, I think is a step to the next level and in the right direction.

“The first thing is to be competitive and the second is that, even on the bad days, you can pick up points. Hopefully we can maintain that.”

Huddersfield have won just one of their past 11 league matches and the draw was their 13th of the season.

Boss Darren Moore said: “To not come away with the points, we’re disappointed with the result.

“The positives are that it’s another solid performance. We’ve come to a difficult place and really controlled the game for large periods.

“You have to come here and set your stall out and I thought the boys did that today. We certainly felt we should have taken all three points.

“When you lose a goal that late in the game, especially when you’ve dominated large periods of the game, we certainly feel it’s two points dropped.

“My message to the players has been that we’ve got to keep pushing and believe that those three points are not far away.

“When we get the three points, I really think it will be a glue in terms of performances, confidence and our fans seeing it and us pushing on and going forward.

“We’re nearer to turning draws into victories than losing.”

Gary O’Neil praised the resilience of his Wolves players and hopes their achievement is not forgotten after crowd trouble marred their FA Cup fourth-round win at rivals West Brom.

The Premier League side triumphed 2-0 in a fierce Black Country derby at The Hawthorns that was suspended for more than half an hour after problems erupted in the stands.

The trouble flared shortly after Matheus Cunha had scored the visitors’ second goal in 78th minute and players had to be taken back to the dressing rooms for a period before the game could be completed.

The stoppage was a concerning period, particularly with some West Brom players worried about family seated in the area, but the matter was dealt with by police and security.

Two arrests were made amid the disturbance and one fan was taken to hospital with head injuries but no players’ family members were hurt.

Wolves manager O’Neil said there had not been any doubt among his players during the delay that the game should be completed.

He said in a press conference: “They weren’t unsure, I think they’re a resilient group. We put big faith in the people that are in charge, the police and safety officer and officials, to only put us into situations that they think are safe.

“We came to do a job. Of course, I sit here and answer questions around the other stuff, but the main aim of today and of all week was to get a team ready to come here and win, and I don’t think that should be lost in it either.

“I think it’s really important that the lads get the credit for what was a fantastic win away from home at West Brom, in really tough circumstances.

“It’s been 28 years since we’ve been here and won and, in the end, 2-0, was fairly comfortable. We dealt with a tough atmosphere and a good side. The lads were really professional and managed to get the job done.”

West Brom boss Carlos Corberan said his players also wanted to play on.

“We wanted to play the game,” he said. “The referee wanted to keep playing the game, Wolves players and coaches wanted to keep playing the game.

“And the situation for me, the word was that the safety people in the stadium had made a very good job to allow a restart of the game. That was the target that we had.”

Corberan, whose side had trailed 1-0 at the interval to a Pedro Neto goal, felt the atmosphere prior to the crowd trouble had been of an intensity that can help his side as they chase promotion from the Championship.

He said: “It was an unbelievable atmosphere. If we are able to replicate this – we will not talk about the incident – if they keep supporting the team as they were doing for the rest of the league, they can help us a lot because they give you an extra level of energy.”

Watford and Southampton face a replay for a place in the FA Cup fifth round following a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road.

Saints substitute Stuart Armstrong struck late to force a replay after Matheus Martins’ early free-kick looked being just enough to take the Hornets through, with Liverpool awaiting in the next round.

Both sides made substantial changes to their most recent Championship starting line-ups – Watford swapped six, Southampton nine – and the visitors fell behind in the fifth minute.

Mason Holgate was booked for fouling Yaser Asprilla just outside the box on the left and Martins, the Brazilian winger, whipped the free-kick past a wall comprising of just one man and beyond goalkeeper Joe Lumley at his near post.

Carlos Alcarez forced Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann into his first save with a header soon after but Saints were back under pressure straight away.

Sekou Mara fouled Francisco Sierralta 25 yards in front of goal and this time it was ex-Saint Wesley Hoedt who took the free-kick, which the centre-back fired straight at Lumley.

Jayden Meghoma did well to stop Martins bursting through but Sierralta put a free header wide at the back post from the corner that followed.

Jamal Lewis was the next Hornet to test Lumley with a low drive from distance but the goalkeeper was fortunate when he rushed out of his box and was beaten to the ball by Vakoun Bayo only for the striker to fail to find a colleague in front of an untended goal.

Southampton rallied towards the end of the half, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis heading a decent chance over from a free-kick, but the half ended with Bayo firing wide at the other end following a defensive lapse.

The second period began with Alcarez sending a free-kick that resulted from a foul on Holgate over the bar. Holgate was soon required at the other end to stop Asprilla stealing in at the back post.

Mara fired a Saints reply at Bachmann before a Watford counter saw Martins’ effort deflected.

The visitors sent on four experienced campaigners just after the hour mark in Adam and Stuart Armstrong, Will Smallbone and Ryan Fraser.

Stuart Armstrong blasted an effort wide as Watford were forced to dig in for a while but Martins saw a 72nd-minute effort ping back off a post.

Saints pushed hard for a leveller, with Holgate forcing Bachmann into a flying save, but the Hornets goalkeeper was beaten with a minute remaining.

Bachmann batted out a drive from Mara but Stuart Armstrong seized on the rebound on the left of the box and foxed the Austrian with a curler inside the near post.

It was all Saints in added time, with Adam Armstrong seeing a shot deflected wide and Bachmann tipping a Harwood-Bellis header round a post.

Aliou Cisse refused to be drawn on whether he is managing the best Senegal team in history, insisting the Africa Cup of Nations holders will be brought back down to earth if they lose to Ivory Coast in the last 16 on Monday.

Senegal lifted the trophy for the first time in 2021 under the stewardship of Cisse and topped Group C this time around with three wins from as many matches.

They face Ivory Coast for a place in the quarter-finals, with the hosts limping through to the knockout rounds as one of the best third-placed teams.

Cisse has an experienced squad of players and boasts the likes of Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson, Pape Matar Sarr of Tottenham and captain Kalidou Koulibaly.

Asked if he was overseeing the best Senegal side of all time, Cisse replied: “It’s hard to say.

“I don’t like talking about myself. Others can talk about us and what we are doing.

“Now is not the time to take stock because we are in the middle of competition. What matters to us is tomorrow’s match because, if unfortunately it goes badly, we will come back to earth again.”

Cisse, though, was happier to discuss how well his team have taken to their defence of the trophy.

“Our team is going through a good period after three matches, where we achieved good results in the group stage, and I am satisfied with it,” he added.

“We will play a very difficult match. If we win, we will continue the adventure, and if we lose, we will return home.

“We qualified with nine points and the opponent with three points, this does not matter. Now a new competition has begun. Ivory Coast remains a major team in Africa, they have good players.

“The defeat in their last two matches remain just an accident, they will show another performance in front of their fans.”

The Football Association has launched a swift investigation after crowd trouble marred Sunday’s FA Cup derby between West Brom and Wolves.

Play at The Hawthorns was suspended for more than half an hour after ugly scenes broke out in the stands and fans spilled onto the pitch.

West Midlands Police confirmed two arrests were made following the second-half disorder and one person was taken to hospital with head injuries.

Some West Brom players were concerned about family members sitting nearby and at least one, Kyle Bartley, went into the crowd to get his children out.

Baggies manager Carlos Corberan later confirmed no players’ family members were hurt but the unsavoury scenes completely overshadowed the contest.

Corberan said: “Unfortunately this happened but fortunately no dramatic situation with the families or with any person happened, because of course lives are more important than anything.

“Everything was controlled by the security people and the situation didn’t have any negative consequence on the families. But, of course, the players were worried because they knew that the families were there.”

The FA issued a strong statement on the matter and punishment could follow.

The statement read: “The disorder that occurred at the Black Country derby between West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers is completely unacceptable.

“Safety and security are of the utmost importance, and the behaviour of those involved is dangerous and inexcusable.

“We will be investigating these serious incidents alongside the clubs and the relevant authorities, and the appropriate action will be taken.”

Emotions had been running high throughout the game, which was the first Black Country derby in front of spectators since 2012.

The tensions spilled over shortly after Matheus Cunha fired Wolves into a 2-0 lead, and effectively settled the fourth-round tie, 12 minutes from time.

A statement from the home club read: “West Bromwich Albion Football Club condemns in the strongest terms the unsavoury scenes which disrupted Sunday’s Black Country derby at The Hawthorns.

“The club will work with West Midlands Police and the Football Association to fully investigate the incidents which resulted in a suspension to the game.

“Any individual involved in the disorder will be subject to a club ban, in addition to potential criminal investigation.”

The main disturbance occurred in the corner of the West Stand and the Birmingham Road End but there had earlier been pockets of trouble elsewhere in the ground.

Flares were thrown towards the pitch at the away end after Pedro Neto opened the scoring for the visitors and objects were later thrown at Wolves’ Tommy Doyle.

The game had been designated as high risk with increased security and the kick-off scheduled for 11.45am.

A police statement read: “We have extra officers at this local derby and they responded immediately as disorder in the stands caused fans to spill onto the pitch. Two people have been arrested for public order offences.

“We worked with officials to get the game restarted as soon as possible.

“Another man was arrested before the game for possession of an offensive weapon.

“A man has been taken to hospital with head injuries.”

The players eventually returned to play out the final 12 minutes after a stoppage of 34 minutes.

Wolves manager Gary O’Neil said: “Obviously it’s really disappointing. Anybody that wants to come to watch a football match should feel safe.

“Young children, elderly people could be in that area and we shouldn’t have to discuss incidents like this.

“They shouldn’t happen and I hope everyone’s safe and there’s no serious injuries and there’s no lasting effects to it.

“I thought the game was played in a really good spirit and it’s disappointing that things that went on off the pitch obviously now need to be spoken about.”

Ben Stokes hailed England’s heroes of Hyderabad after claiming his “greatest triumph” since becoming Test captain.

Stokes has overseen some outstanding victories since taking charge almost two years ago – with record run chases at home, a historic 3-0 whitewash in Pakistan and a thrilling Ashes contest last summer – but now has a new favourite.

Facing an India side who had lost just three times on their own patch in the past decade, England somehow turned a 190-run first-innings deficit into a jaw-dropping 28-run win.

The biggest lead any touring team had ever previously overturned in India was just 65, by Australia all the way back in 1964.

Stokes’ vice-captain Ollie Pope was player of the match, saving the game with a stunning knock of 196, while debutant Tom Hartley forced the win with fourth-innings figures of seven for 62.

Reflecting on an unforgettable turn around at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Stokes said: “Since I’ve been captain this is definitely the number one win.

“We’ve been part of some amazing games over the last few years, had some incredible victories, but considering where we are and who we are playing against, this is 100 per cent definitely our greatest triumph.

“Being captain you are the one who has to come down and take all of the praise when you win or all of the bullets when you lose. The thing about winning is you obviously want to give the praise to the people who deserve it.

“This week two people in particular – Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley, amazing match-winning performances. I can only do so much and it is not me who has done this it is 10 other blokes who committed and managed to put in some pretty special things in the past four days.

“It’s amazing what you can get out individuals if you walk the walk after talking the talk.”

Hartley’s contribution must have been particularly satisfying for Stokes, who went out of his way to support the newcomer after a tough start to his Test career.

After seeing the left-arm spinner’s first ball hit for six by Yashasvi Jaiswal at the start of a costly opening spell, Stokes could have tried to shield him from further damage. Instead he gave him a long spell and plenty of support, and went back to him again frequently.

That faith came good when it mattered most, as Hartley ran through India to scupper their chase.

“It’s unbelievable, it’s not going to sink in for a while I think. I’m over the moon to be honest,” the Lancastrian told TNT Sport.

“Testament to Stokesy and Baz (Brendon McCullum), they really got around me and I lost no confidence really. They’re always ultra-positive and it’s a fantastic dressing room, one of the best I’ve been in to be honest. It’s fantastic I was able to come out and do my best today.”

Pope’s ears have been ringing for the past 24 hours with praise, with England’s sub-continental master Joe Root declaring his century an “absolute masterclass” and India coach Rahul Dravid – one of the finest players of his generation – rating it as the best example of sweeping and reverse-sweeping he had ever witnessed.

Improbably, this was his first competitive outing for six months after undergoing surgery for a dislocated shoulder.

“There’s been some long days in the gym, but these moments make everything worth it,” he said.

“I’ve felt really good but it was about getting my head around putting a big innings together. Fortunately for me that happened and with the win it means a hell of a lot more.”

England’s route to victory was all the more difficult given the knee injury which kept first-choice spinner Jack Leach to a reduced role. He was only able to offer 10 overs on the final day, compared to 26.2 from Hartley, but still took one for 33 as he battled soreness, bruising and swelling.

“He’s been an absolute warrior this week,” said Stokes.

“The output we’ve seen and the commitment he’s shown to everyone else this week is honestly inspiring.

“He is an absolute legend who epitomises what I want everyone’s focus to be on, which is the team above individual success.”

Anfield’s long goodbye to Jurgen Klopp began with a comfortable 5-2 FA Cup fourth round victory over Norwich.

The Liverpool boss, who on Friday announced his departure at the end of the season, sat in contemplative mood as the Kop belted out ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ before kick-off.

It was followed up in the first minute by a rendition of ‘I’m so glad that Jurgen is a Red’ but the German will have been pleased the focus swung to on the pitch action immediately afterwards as, with the battle continuing on four fronts, there is plenty of football still to play.

Klopp does not want his final four months to be an indulgent love-in and his players got the message as they saw off their spirited Championship opponents – managed by Klopp’s good friend David Wagner – with clinical professionalism after a minor blip.

Curtis Jones’ fifth goal in as many home games – marking the best goalscoring season of his career – and Darwin Nunez’s third in his last three were eclipsed by the quality of Diogo Jota’s volley for the third.

Headers from Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch kick-started the first of what is likely to be many parties at Anfield.

The visitors were under pressure from the off with Joe Gomez having a shot deflected wide and Nunez curling a shot against the post after Jack Stacey lost possession.

Jones broke the deadlock when he headed home a deep cross to the far post by 19-year-old James McConnell, making his full debut in central midfield.

The teenager celebrated by simply raising both arms in the air but the biggest compliment you could pay him was that he did not look out of place in a much-changed team whose bench included Van Dijk, Luis Diaz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott.

Klopp cited one of the reasons for not quitting after last season’s widespread struggles was his desire to put things right and leave the club in a good place for his successor.

In McConnell and 20-year-old defenders Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah the future looks secure.

However, a defence missing the authority of Van Dijk switched off at a 22nd-minute corner and Ben Gibson flicked a near-post header from Gabriel Sara’s inswinger past Alisson Becker.

But Nunez quickly restored their lead when Bradley won possession just inside Norwich’s half, exchanged passes with Jota and squared for the Uruguay international to slot home.

The visitors’ hopes were virtually extinguished early in the second half by Jota’s brilliant volley after Grant Hanley had headed Jones’ long pass straight up in the air.

A triple substitution followed immediately with the reception for Van Dijk and Szoboszlai drowned out by the cheer for Robertson as he made his first appearance since October after a dislocated shoulder.

Van Dijk’s header from a corner put Liverpool out of sight and even Borja Sainz’s superb strike from distance was scant consolation as the siege continued at the other end, with goalkeeper George Long overworked.

Alexander-Arnold came off the bench after a knee problem to play the final 24 minutes in midfield as they continued to tune up a number of their recent absentees before the midweek Premier League visit of Chelsea and Gravenberch’s close-range header completed the rout.

The last two occasions Liverpool beat Norwich in the FA Cup at Anfield they went on to win the trophy.

With a home draw against more Championship opponents in either Watford or Southampton the fates seem to be aligning for a potentially epic Klopp farewell and, even without the manager’s traditional post-match fist pumps, the Kop need no encouragement to celebrate every moment.

Marie’s Rock booked her return to the Cheltenham Festival in landing the SBK Warfield Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster for Nicky Henderson.

The nine-year-old was the 6-4 favourite for the extended three-mile contest, a five-runner affair saved from Ascot that included Henderson-trained stablemates Tweed Skirt and Theatre Glory alongside Jamie Snowden’s You Wear It Well.

Marie’s Rock brought Grade One form to the table, however, and was last seen finishing second to Bob Olinger in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

This Grade Two was a step up in trip and under James Bowen she did not look the easiest of rides, lighting up once the red hood was removed but settling to the task when having to fend off You Wear It Well in the final stages of the race.

An eventual length-and-a-half-winner, Betfair cut Marie’s Rock from 20-1 to 12-1 to regain the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle crown she won in 2022, with Lossiemouth at the head of the market after her highly impressive Cheltenham victory on Saturday.

“We were delighted she was able to get her head back in front there, we don’t necessarily see her as an out-and-out three-miler and that’s probably not her championship distance,” said Tom Palin of syndicate owners Middleham Park Racing.

“We will keep her to the mares’ races, but she’s not ineffective at these sorts of distances and against the opposition today she was able to take advantage of that in what looked a good opportunity to get her head back in front.

“She has been running some very creditable races in defeat, she’s a tough, game mare. She carries her head a bit awkwardly, a bit in the ‘Marie’s Rock style’ but James said when You Wear It Well came to her she wasn’t going to lay down and she toughed it out.

“It takes a very good one to go past her, I thought the writing was on the wall with that performance behind Bob Olinger – he looked resurgent, the Bob Olinger of old, and I felt we lost nothing in defeat to him.

“I was delighted that she was able to confirm her place at the Cheltenham Festival, obviously life has got a little bit harder in the last 24 hours with Lossiemouth looking like the proverbial second coming!

“We’ve booked our ticket for the mares’ race anyway and we’ll head down that route.”

Cape Verde coach Bubista is taking nothing for granted when they face fellow underdogs Mauritania in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Both countries were surprise qualifiers from the group stage, with Cape Verde beating Ghana and Mozambique and earning a draw with Egypt.

Mauritania, meanwhile, finished third in Group D courtesy of a shock win over Algeria.

Bubista, speaking at his pre-match press conference, said: “Mauritania is a difficult opponent. This team showed cohesion and quality.

“Their victory against Algeria was well deserved. They have a solid defence. This is going to be a very tactical encounter and we will have to play our cards well and not falter.”

Former Manchester United striker Bebe scored one of the goals of the tournament with a long-range free-kick against Mozambique.

He said: “We are aware of the importance of these matches. For us, this is something unique. We are focused on the same goal, we just have victory in sight.”

Mauritania coach Amir Abdou hopes to capitalise on Cape Verde’s attacking instincts.

“Cape Verde is an attractive team,” he said. “They score a lot of goals and concede too, which is a loophole we will try to use. I have a competitive group and I know we are capable of anything.”

Kenneth Paal equalised five minutes into stoppage time to rescue a point for QPR as they drew 1-1 with fellow strugglers Huddersfield.

Jack Rudoni’s 86th-minute goal looked like leaving third-from-bottom Rangers six points adrift of the Terriers – the team immediately above them in the Sky Bet Championship table.

But Ilias Chair’s right-wing cross was kneed into the top corner of the net by left-back Paal in the final stages and helped avoid a potentially disastrous home defeat.

A win would have taken QPR out of the relegation zone, where they have been since September, and leapfrogged Huddersfield. The draw means the gap remains at three points.

Both sides struggled to create clearcut chances, particularly during a scrappy first half, although Chair and young striker Sinclair Armstrong looked a threat for Rangers.

Playmaker Chair saw a weak shot comfortably saved by goalkeeper Lee Nicholls and sent in a wickedly-delivered corner from the left, but no-one could add a decisive touch.

Armstrong, meanwhile, fired high and wide from an acute angle during a frustrating opening 45 minutes for the hosts.

At the other end, Rhys Healey headed over from Sorba Thomas’ free-kick and had a shot blocked by Jake Clarke-Salter following good work on the right by Rudoni.

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes will have hoped for an improvement after the interval, but it did not materialise.

Instead, Huddersfield looked the better side, enjoying the majority of possession and going close when Michal Helik headed just over from Thomas’ left-wing corner.

It prompted Cifuentes to make a double substitution, sending on Paul Smyth and Elijah Dixon-Bonner in place of Chris Willock and the ineffective Lyndon Dykes.

That did make a slight difference, with Smyth adding some energy in attack and Dixon-Bonner shooting wide from near the edge of the penalty area, before Jack Colback’s left-footed strike was caught by Nicholls.

However, that was as much as QPR could muster before Rudoni broke the deadlock.

Rangers, who have shown a tendency to concede goals from set-pieces, failed to properly clear a free-kick and Radinio Balker’s shot fell to Rudoni, who fired past keeper Asmir Begovic.

The last-gasp equaliser will be a huge relief for Cifuentes but the R’s remain in deep trouble and must now hope that the arrival of Swiss striker Michael Frey gives them the impetus up front they have lacked all season.

Frey, whose signing from Royal Antwerp was announced shortly before kick-off, scored 33 goals in 69 games for the Belgian club and Rangers desperately need him to produce that kind of form in England.

Jannik Sinner proved himself a man for the big occasion with a stunning comeback against Daniil Medvedev to lift his first grand slam trophy at the Australian Open.

The 22-year-old Italian handed Novak Djokovic his first loss at Melbourne Park for six years in the semi-finals but looked like he would have to settle for the runners-up plate as Medvedev dominated the first half of the match.

Sinner was not finished, though, and he slowly began to take control with his huge groundstrokes, opening his grand slam account in brilliant fashion with a 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-3 victory.

Earmarked as the man most likely to lead the game into its next era alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner, who beat three of the top five seeds in successive matches, has decisively shown that he can be a force for years to come.

He is the first Italian to win the singles title in Melbourne and the first man at any grand slam since Adriano Panatta at the French Open in 1976.

“It means a lot, maybe the most important thing,” said Sinner, who led Italy to the Davis Cup title in November.

“There is always pressure, but the pressure is something good. I like to dance in the pressure storm. Because that’s where most of the time I bring out my best tennis.

“I still have to process it because, beating Novak in the semis and then today Daniil in the final, they are tough players to beat.

“So it’s a great moment for me and my team but, in the other way, we also know that we have to improve if we want to have another chance to hold a big trophy again.”

Sinner is the youngest winner of the men’s title since since Djokovic back in 2008, but he is mature beyond his years on and off the court.

In his acceptance speech, Sinner, who was a champion skier as a child, movingly thanked his parents for allowing him to choose his own path.

“I don’t see them so often, unfortunately, but when I see them it’s always a great time,” he said with a smile in his press conference.

“I went away from home when I was 14 years old. So I had to grow up quite fast, trying to cook for myself, trying to make laundry.

“I think for me it was tough but, for my parents, to leave their son at 14 years old, it’s also not easy. They never put pressure on myself, which for me is maybe the key why I’m here today. I’m a quite relaxed man, who just enjoys to play tennis.”

It had been almost 20 years since an Australian Open final did not feature one of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer.

Medvedev had the benefit of experience playing in his sixth grand slam final, while for the first time he did not see either Djokovic or Nadal across the other side of the net.

The Russian had endured a tortuous route to the final, though, with three five-set matches, two of them from two sets down, and more than 20 hours spent on court.

His solution was to go against type and begin in ultra aggressive fashion, which brought immediate dividends with an early break of the Sinner serve.

The Italian had not faced a single break point against Djokovic but here he could not keep Medvedev at bay, the third seed, who won his only slam title so far at the US Open in 2021, opening up a 5-1 lead in the second set.

Sinner retrieved one of the breaks and, although he could not quite turn the set around, it was a sign of things to come and, as Medvedev tired, the young Italian began to get on the front foot, breaking in the 10th game of both the third and fourth sets.

Heading into the decider he was a clear favourite once more and, after breaking to lead 4-2, he sealed his big moment in fitting fashion with a forehand winner blasted down the line.

Sinner admitted Medvedev had taken him by surprise with his approach, saying: “I was expecting something different from his side, so I had this feeling that he might come out a little bit more aggressive. Not this aggressive.

It was a cruel way to lose for Medvedev, who was also beaten from two sets up by Nadal in the final two years ago and was hoping to make it third time lucky in Melbourne.

But the 27-year-old refused to be too downhearted, saying: “I was trying to be proud of myself, and I am. I was fighting, I was running. I was, like, ‘If tomorrow I don’t feel my legs, it doesn’t matter, I’m going to try everything I can today until the last point’, and I did it.”

No one has ever spent longer on court at a grand slam, to which Medvedev reacted with a wry smile: “At least I got a record in something.”