Daniil Medvedev ended his season with none pleasure. The Russian champion didn’t win a single title in 2024 and gave the sensation of being very removed from his finest stage for many of the yr.
The previous world No. 1 has performed some good tournaments, however his sport is now not sufficient in opposition to opponents like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The Italian ace prevented him from successful the Australian Open, regardless of Daniil being forward two units to nil within the closing. That painful loss additionally affected him within the following months and the inertia of his rivalry with Jannik was completely reversed.
The participant from Moscow defeated Sinner within the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Championships, however was crushed by the world #1 on the Miami Open, on the US Open, on the Shanghai Rolex Masters and on the ATP Finals in Turin.
Daniil Medvedev© X screenshot
Medvedev additionally struggled quite a bit in opposition to Alcaraz, who prevailed over the Russian within the closing of the Indian Wells Masters 1000, within the semifinal of Wimbledon and within the semifinal of the Beijing ATP 500.
The 2021 US Open champion confirmed indicators of nervousness and frustration throughout 2024, struggling quite a few surprising defeats and infrequently complaining concerning the balls utilized by the ATP. Daniil is satisfied that this kind of ball advantages gamers like Sinner and Alcaraz, who’re in a position to categorical monstrous energy from the baseline. It’s clear to everybody that the previous world No. 1 should do an amazing job within the low season to shut the hole that separates him from the 2 younger leaders of the ATP tour.
The Russian ace – who was eradicated within the second spherical on the Rolex Paris Masters and within the group stage on the ATP Finals – can have plenty of strain on the 2025 Australian Open, through which he should defend the ultimate reached this yr.
Medvedev reveals his plans
Medvedev will be capable to work effectively along with his coaches Gilles Cervara and Gilles Simon, who’re searching for new weapons so as to add to his sport.
Throughout a protracted interview with ‘Kommersant’, Daniil talked about his plans: “Now we will try to do a thorough pre-season preparation together (with former ATP ace Gilles Simon) and see what comes of it. I won’t go into details, but I have an idea on how to improve my game with the balls I’m using now. It’s not a fact that it will work.
But I need to try to find a way to beat Jannik Sinner again, to whom I’ve lost so many times in recent months.”
He continued: “It’s a tough question… Probably some lost matches. They often say that defeats teach you. Well, I’ve had a few defeats this year, after which I left the court and realized that I hadn’t learned anything.
It was like that in the summer at the Montreal and Cincinnati Masters. It was hard to switch to hard immediately after playing on clay at the Olympics.
“And before the red clay, there was the grass of Wimbledon. But I still don’t regret going to the Olympics at all. It was a good, necessary experience.”
An important part
The Russian is experiencing probably the most delicate second of his profession, particularly since he turned a high participant. His subsequent steps will likely be decisive for the continuation of his profession. Medvedev should shine once more subsequent yr, in any other case he dangers falling into the identical limbo as Stefanos Tsitsipas and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The previous world #1 has the appropriate expertise to return to play his finest tennis, however the different younger skills proceed to enhance and it’ll not be simple to beat them. Sinner and Alcaraz should not the one issues for Daniil, who has suffered in opposition to many gamers in current months. The rivals have understood the Russian’s weaknesses in some areas of the sector and have discovered to use them extra successfully.
Daniil Medvedev© X screenshot
As everybody is aware of, Medvedev believes that the present balls are very disadvantageous to his sport. The previous world No. 1 complained a number of occasions all year long and recommended a change.
“As I say, I feel like I’m in a big disadvantage, but I need to do something with it. For the moment, I couldn’t find the exact way, like I can find the way through some matches like Shanghai, Beijing, even US Open. I can fight my way. I can try to find solutions during the match,” he defined in an interview in the course of the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.
2025 will likely be attention-grabbing to see if the champion from Moscow has lastly defeated all his demons.