There was a while not so long ago when Daniil Medvedev came up as the potential flag carrier of a new generation.
After he was stitched early in his career in the late stages of the ‘Big Three’ era, he was the man who stopped the bid of Novak Djokovic on a historic calendar year Grand Slam in the US Open Final of 2021. Six months later he became the first player since 2004 except Roger Federray, Djokovic, Djokovic, Djokovic, Djokovic, Djokal, Djokovic, Djokal, Djokal, Djokal and Andyael, and Andyael, and Andy, Djokal, Djokal, Djokal, Djokal and Andyael (Roger Furerrey, and Andy, Djoky, Djoky (Roger, Djoky, and Andy, Djoky (Roger, and Andy, Djoky, “Djoky, Djoky. Four ‘) to rise to number 1 in the PIF ATP ranking.
But it was not long before the Big Three era took place for the duopoly of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who together won the last seven Majors. Now 29, and knowing that he cannot wait, Medvedev has sworn to do everything he can do to avoid an almost shutout from Grand Slam titles in the coming seasons.
“Jannik and Carlos are playing great, they are the top two at the moment and they are playing better than everyone else, but never underestimate a third man who is going to challenge,” Medvedev told Atptour.com.
“There is a lot talk about this:” How is it possible that nobody is close to them? ” Carlos, when he was 17, came on tour and everyone was “how can he hit so strong?” So if he has the days that he can’t miss – and he has them a lot – there is no chance for us.
It is a typical sharp and measured assessment of one of the most thoughtful tactics of the game. Medvedev has always been a sport student, forced to adapt and analyze to achieve success in demonstrably the most difficult era of Herentennis. Although Sinner and Alcaraz are now central, Medvedev knows how quickly the landscape can change.
“I remember Roger and Rafa: When Rafa was 20, 21, he had already won two or three Roland Garros titles,” Medvedev recalled. “They were talking about this time when he won Wimbledon for the first time, and it was his first Grand Slam outside Roland Garros.
“When at this point, when everyone thought they would share all Grand Slams, there was a Serbian man who came a little later and won more than she did.”
In the six Grand Slam final (1-5) that Medvedev has disputed, he confronted three times with Djokovic, Twice TweeWH, and the most recent sinner during the Australian Open last year. Nevertheless, he is one of only three players who wins Lexus ATP Head2head against both Sinner and Alcaraz in large tournaments.
Daniil Medvedev beats Jannik Sinner in five sets in Wimbledon in 2024. Photo: Getty Images.
Yet 2025 was far from smooth. A two -time big finalist in the past two years, Medvedev did not succeed in coming the second round on every SLAM this year and fell early in Melbourne, Paris and London.
“It’s funny because many people ask me about Jannik and Carlos, but at the moment this year I didn’t play them in the slams, I played much worse,” Medvedev said. “That is a bit of a ‘good’ problem for me, because I want to be where they are, in the fourth round or quarters. I don’t really think it will be difficult for me because it was already difficult. I was able to do it against Novak.”
Medvedev understands that stylistically the challenge of this new Golf is unique. While his contrapunching, flat-ball style can neutralize and aggressors can frustrate, Sinner and Alcaraz bring a different level of athletics and raw firepower that can often blow through defenses. Yet he knows that their invincibility is not absolute.
“They are strong players, but at the same time they can both sometimes lose,” he says. “For example, Jannik lost against Sascha [Bublik] The tournament won in Halle and Sascha. Carlos lost Botic [Van de Zandschulp] Only less than a year ago … every time you are on the field with them, you have to try to win. ”
Alexander Bublik defeats Daniil Medvedev for the Halle title of 2025. Photo: Thomas F. Starke/Getty images.
This year, however, Medvedev has difficulty reaching those matchups often enough. After a series of inconsistent results, the Nitto ATP Finals Champion 2020 went to 19th place in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, with the aim of qualifying for a seventh consecutive year.
On the way to the Cincinnati Open with a modest 26-16 season record according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Medvedev admits that the reasons behind his struggles are not easy to insulate, but sees’ the chance of hard courts, his favorite surface.
“It is very difficult in tennis, because I could find 10 reasons and I would not know what the main reason is,” said Medvedev. “Whatever we do, we just try to improve. So we sat down with the team: where can we do things better? What can we change? We have discussed some things and I will try to implement it.
“This is the most exciting part of the season, there are hard courts to Miami next year. So I will try to do my best and enjoy it. It is an opportunity, I want to take on a challenge to increase my level in the large occasions, try to go step by step.”
Although he is currently 11 places of the cut for Turin in 19th place in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, Medvedev is not in panic.
“In this part of the season, Turin is a long way for everyone except Carlos and Jannik, who are sure, and maybe Sascha [Zverev] That will have many points to be almost a little calm, “explained Medvedev.” For all other guys, some tournaments that you play well and the other man plays well, it’s a game or game.
“I was usually in a better position at this time of the year, but I am very close … You just have to make a quarter final of a Masters 1000 and you are almost there, so I just have to play well.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
#Medvedev #SinnerAlcaraz #Big #era #underestimate #man