Daniil Medvedev is having a satisfying start to the 2022 season. After Novak Djokovic’s defeat yesterday, the Russian will head the ATP rankings chart when it is updated next week. Medvedev will become the 27th player to claim the Number 1 ranking.
Moreover, he has had some consistent performances this season. In his first tournament of the season at the ATP Cup, he won three out of the four matches he played. Further, at the Australian Open, he finished second-best, losing to Rafael Nadal in a five-setter thriller.
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The 26-year-old has opened up on his feelings after news broke that he will be the top-ranked player in men’s singles next week.
Daniil Medvedev gives his take on the commencement of a new era in tennis
The Russian received the news about his rise to the top of the ATP rankings next week before his quarterfinal match in Acapulco. The US Open champion was happy, but admitted that it wasn’t easy to play after receiving such big news. Further, he also revealed his views on the beginning of a new era in the sport.
Medvedev said, “It’s a bit early to talk about that because most of the ‘Grand Slam’ titles have gone to the ‘Big Three’ side. That’s why we can’t talk about a new Era starting. I’ve only beaten Djokovic in the Grand Slam (2021 US Open final).” (Translated using Google Translate)
Medvedev’s rise to the top
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The 26-year-old had a fantastic 2021 season. He won four titles in the previous year, including the US Open, which was his first Grand Slam title. Further, he has put on some consistent performances over the past few years, which is also one of the reasons for his rise.
In the opening Grand Slam of this season, Djokovic failed to defend his title due to his deportation from Australia. As a result, he lost 2000 valuable ranking points, which enabled the Russian to close down the gap between them. Djokovic’s defeat yesterday in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships was the final piece of the jigsaw. Medvedev will be the World Number 1 when the ATP rankings are updated on Monday.
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