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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Tennis fans found themselves in a situation where they didn’t feel like moving a single muscle. With the Australian Open Finals match between Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner being played at the Rod Laver Arena, the spectators witnessed something that was hard to believe.

Novak Djokovic took an unexpected early exit from the AO but one of his skills has stood out – returning serves, which are regarded as the best of all time. As the Serb is currently struggling to keep up with his levels, it seems like Daniil Medvedev is taking his place, per Nick Kyrgios.

Is Daniil Medvedev surpassing Novak Djokovic’s return serve potential? Asks Nick Kyrgios

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Daniil Medvedev has stunned fans with his amazing return serves, right from the start of this season. Although the tennis star bravely held his ground against Jannik Sinner, he lost to the young Italian. Nevertheless, it seems like he is overtaking Novak Djokovic’s throne of being the best returner. As Djokovic faced a tough defeat against the rising star Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, Medvedev used the opportunity to channel his inner Nole.

Nick Kyrgios has been adding up to the action with his unbiased commentary at the Rod Laver arena. As he grabbed the mic in the finals match as well, he surprised fans by boldly regarding Medvedev as the best returner in tennis. While the huge crowd witnessed the Russian’s amazing skillset, it is surely hard to deny the claim that Kyrgios made.

Djokovic appeared to be out of his dominant form right from the start of the tournament. As his disappointment after the elimination made him accept the fact, it seems like Medvedev chose the right time to overtake the feats that legends like Andre Agassi and Djokovic held so far. Even if the Russian’s fate ended the same way the Serb’s did – a defeat at the hands of Jannik Sinner.

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ALSO READ: Will Daniil Medvedev Dedicate His Australian Open Success to His Wife Again?

Novak Djokovic admits to a diminished form this season

Many were curious to know what Novak Djokovic had to say about his defeat against Jannik Sinner. As the Serb faced the media, he admitted that he hadn’t been able to cope with his regular levels. In a conversation with the press after his semi-final match, the Serb stunned fans with his demotivated response.

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“To be honest, the whole tournament I haven’t really played close to my best…I didn’t feel really myself on the court during this tournament,” he said, accepting a degraded form at the AO 2024. As the tennis star himself feels downtrodden, it seems like Kyrgios’ claim on Medvedev being the best returner right now has some credibility.

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