Daniil Medvedev: What makes the US Open runner-up torch-bearer of the NextGen
In the US Open 2019 men’s singles final, being two sets down and after losing a break of serve too in the 5th game of the third set, any player would have easily crumbled against the relentless pressure of his opponent, surrendering the match in straight sets.
But not so, if you are someone by the name of Daniil Medvedev. The 23-year-old Russian showed tremendous resilience and self-belief not only to get the break back, but also to close out the set 7-5 in his favour in his title clash against Rafael Nadal at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. And the upbeat Russian wasn’t done yet as he continued showing brilliance all the way through to capture the 4th set as well.
By the time he won that set, he had sent down shivers not only across the Nadal camp, but also to the thousands of fans witnessing the high-octane drama unfold in the men’s final. Medvedev unbelievably forced the match into the deciding fifth and final set.
Daniil Medvedev, who can be now referred to as the torchbearer of the younger generation of players, eventually succumbed to the pressure of the occasion as Nadal completed an intense win to survive the scare, recording the 19th Major of his illustrious career.
The Spaniard, of course, won the title, but Medvedev won the hearts of tennis fans all around the globe with his character, fighting spirit and most importantly with the tremendous variety in his game.
The young Russian might have saved his best for the last, but his heroics in the US Open final made it a fitting finale to the remarkable story of his consistent excellence in the North American hardcourt season this year.
20 wins in 23 matches in 40 days
Before he took on Rafael Nadal in the final of the US Open, Medvedev had already played 22 matches in just 39 days. The final at New York was his 4th consecutive one after he made appearances in the finals at Washington DC, Montreal and Cincinnati in the build-up to the US Open.
At Cincinnati Masters, the young Russian, after overcoming Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, went on to win his first-ever Masters 1000 event, where he beat David Goffin in the final in straight sets.
Calling his performances at this year’s North American hardcourt season exemplary would just be an understatement. In those 40 days, Medvedev not only showed various facets of his game, but also put on a fabulous show of his character, attitude and more importantly, his unadulterated love towards the game.
In an era, where the young, upcoming players tend to remain as one-tournament wonders only, Medvedev consolidated tournament after tournament, rising from his defeats in the finals twice, just to come back with a better resolve every time he was pushed to the corner.
The records would show that Nadal won the Canadian Masters and the US Open, but history would also mark 2019 North American hardcourt season as Medvedev’s summer.
Variety in his game is what makes Medvedev unique
In an age where players are resorting more and more to power game, Medvedev’s game is simple and easy on the eye as well. The World No. 4 might not possess a thunderous forehand or a blistering backhand, but he is someone who will always do the basics right.
Medvedev has a fast, strong, yet accurate serve and an overall reliable service game. His game has shades of Djokovic in it and his Djokovic-like innate ability to return as many balls as possible in the court is what stands out among the players of today’s generation. At the age of 23, his application and consistency to slog and perform at his prime level over the course of five sets is indeed awe-inspiring and rare to find these days.
Moreover, his willingness to take risks by rushing towards the net during the course of big points in the match and his confidence to crunch winners from potentially awkward positions to stun his opponents add a sense of unpredictability to his game. Even Nadal got a taste of his own medicine in their title clash at Flushing Meadows this year, especially in those last three sets of the contest.
Can Medvedev win his first Major at the Australian Open 2020?
2019 well and truly witnessed Medvedev coming of age in the world of tennis. With two title wins at Sofia Open and Cincinnati Masters and being a five-time finalist including his appearances in the title clashes at US Open and Canadian Masters 1000 so far this year, one can say the year has belonged to the young Russian.
Having gained the experience of playing on some of the biggest stages of the game, against some of the iconic stars of the sport now, can Medvedev record his first Major at next year’s Australian Open?
In three years of continued dominance of the Big 3 of men’s tennis at the Grand Slams, Medvedev remains the only player who came so close to win a Major for himself, before eventually squandering his opportunity against his senior pro.
Before we move into 2020, this year still has a lot to offer too as Medvedev can showcase his skills in the remainder of the season which includes Shanghai Masters 1000, Paris Masters 1000 and the Nitto ATP Finals in London.
There is no doubt Medvedev has the right temperament, attitude and variety in his game to become the world’s best, but can he develop an all-surface game to challenge the world’s top-ranked players including the big trio of men’s tennis?
It would be fascinating to witness how the Russian handles success and, in the process, marches towards achieving sustained excellence not only in the remainder of 2019 season, but also in the 2020 season and beyond.