MELBOURNE, Feb 13 — Most people would reward themselves after winning their first five-setter at a Grand Slam, but Daniil Medvedev’s real battle begins when he returns to his hotel room — staying away from the sweets he has sworn off at this year’s Australian Open.

The Russian, who beat Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic 6-3 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-0 today, admits he has a sweet tooth but says he is denying himself treats to boost his chances of winning a maiden Grand Slam in Melbourne.

"I just like sugar... sweet desserts, tiramisu, panna cotta, anything,” Medvedev told a news conference. "(But) I don’t eat sugar during the tournament.

"I’ve got five cakes in my room. After the tournament it’s going to be a big fight with the cakes.”

Medvedev’s skinny frame is a result of his naturally high metabolism, but the 25-year-old has also begun being careful about what he eats.

"So many people when they see me, they say, ‘OK, I never saw anybody eat so much’. But I can’t get up even one kilo, I swear,” he said. "Many people probably hate me for this.

"Now I’m coming back to like two or three years ago when I tried to take care of what I eat. I’ve started to take more and more care about it because I feel it’s very important.” — Reuters