The Russian, who will be playing his first Grand Slam event after a terrific 2018 season and reaching the final of Wimbledon this summer. He’s won two ATP 500 titles in addition to 16 other big wins in 2018, but he may not have done enough to get into the world’s top 10 yet.
The “australian open 2022” is a tennis tournament that will take place in Melbourne, Australia. After Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal, the opportunity has knocked for Daniil Medvedev to win the Australian Open.
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA — Any tennis fan worth his salt will try to persuade you that an Australian Open sans world No. 1 Novak Djokovic is a considerably more open and unpredictable Slam.
On the surface, such line of reasoning seems to be reasonable. The Serbian legend has won the championship nine matches, has an 82-6 record at Melbourne Park since 2007, and is a favorite every time he steps onto Rod Laver Arena.
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However, it may be said that the potential Australian Open winner is clearer today than it was 24 hours ago, when Djokovic was still in the main tournament. Djokovic learnt his Australian visa would not be renewed early Sunday evening in Melbourne, less than 18 hours before the gates opened to the public for Day 1, and that he would have to leave the country immediately, forfeiting his ability to defend his Australian Open title.
Within seconds of the highly anticipated and contentious announcement, world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev emerged as the new undisputed favorite.
The gangly Russian came into the forefront late in 2019 when he reached the final of the US Open, where he fell to Rafael Nadal in a devastating five-set thriller. Last year, he reached his first Australian Open final, but lost to a furious Djokovic, who claimed after the match that “it’s just a matter of time” until Medvedev goes all the way.
Daniil Medvedev wants to go one better in 2022 at the Australian Open. Getty Images/Daniel Pockett
Djokovic was absolutely accurate. After rejecting Djokovic’s unusual attempt at the calendar Slam to capture the US Open six months later, Medvedev was a major champion.
At his pre-tournament press conference on Saturday, Medvedev said, “The US Open gave me greater confidence in my life and in my tennis life.” “If I wasn’t playing well before a competition, I was a little worried. [I would get] a little jittery and sometimes enraged. But I now feel like I have a better understanding of what I can accomplish and how I can play.”
With Djokovic out of the picture, Medvedev is the clear favorite. On hard courts, Medvedev leads all players in match victories, finals appearances, and championships since the start of 2018, with only Djokovic having more wins against top-10 rated players. He is presently the youngest active men’s Slam winner, having won at Flushing Meadows last year at the age of 25.
Medvedev has also been successful in team competitions. Last year, he helped Russia win the ATP and Davis Cups, and he was a member of the Team Europe side that won the Laver Cup 14-1.
Medvedev’s climb has been extraordinary, and he recently revealed, possibly to some surprise, that “there were certain years as a junior when I wasn’t convinced I was going to become a professional.”
Medvedev reached a moment as a teenager when he preferred to concentrate on his schoolwork over practice. It wasn’t until he teamed up with French coach Gilles Cervara in the summer of 2017 and decided to give his tennis goal one more push that a career as a pro became a reality.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev celebrates his ATP Cup victory. Getty Images/Steven Markham/Icon Sportswire
For a long time, tennis spectators have wanted to transfer the torch to a generation, or more particularly to Medvedev, and many have been disappointed. However, for the first time in 15 years, no member of the Big Three — Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer — is the favorite at a Grand Slam.
Djokovic has now joined Federer on the sidelines as he recovers from knee surgery and will miss his second consecutive Australian Open. The only member of the Big Three who may derail Medvedev’s fortnight is Nadal, but the two would not clash until the final.
“We all know the Big Three are growing older,” Medvedev remarked, “but they are still winning a lot of Slams.” “What’s next, [everyone] constantly asks. Nothing is going to happen. But someone or something will always appear.”
Medvedev has a great opportunity of increasing his Slam count by winning the Norman Brookes Trophy. But if he wants to win it all, he’ll have to create history, since no guy in the Open era has ever won his first two majors in the same year.
But history doesn’t concern him, and on the eve of the event, Medvedev issued a warning to the remaining 127 players.
“I’m a lot more confident this year than I was last year,” he remarked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Medvedev become number 1?
A: Yes, Medvedev can become the number one dancer.
Who is Medvedev wife?
A: Vladimir Putins wife is Lyudmila Putina.
Has Nadal beaten Djokovic at Australian Open?
A: Yes, he has. In the second match of the 2018 Australian Open semifinals, Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
