Daniil Medvedev passes Alexander Zverev to finish the season with the most wins for the second time in 3 years
With 60 victories in the 2021 season, World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev has now passed ATP Finals winner Alexander Zverev for the most wins on the tour this year.
The German's Turin triumph a week ago saw him end an incredible season with 59 wins that included six titles. Medvedev trailed Zverev by only a solitary win at the conclusion of the regular ATP season.
But now the US Open champion has added a couple of wins to his tally during his Davis Cup commitments for Russia that have put him ahead of the Olympic gold medalist.
Medvedev was in action twice in the past week during Russia's Group A round-robin matches. He first breezed past World No. 149 Emilio Gomez 6-0, 6-2 during the Russia vs Ecuador tie on Saturday.
The 25-year-old next edged past 20th-ranked Pablo Carreno Busta 6-2, 7-6(3) in the crucial Russia vs Spain tie on Sunday. Medvedev's win put Russia back in contention after Andrey Rublev's unexpected loss to Feliciano Lopez earlier in the day. Not only was the World No. 2's win critical in fetching Russia a 2-1 win, but it also sent them into the Davis Cup quarterfinals.
Medvedev still has a chance to add to his tally of 60 wins on Thursday when Russia square off against Sweden in the last eight.
This will be the second time in three years that Medvedev will finish the season with tour-leading wins. Back in 2019, the Russian's 59 wins put him ahead of everyone else, with Rafael Nadal (58) finishing right after him.
A Davis Cup win would be the fitting end to what has been a phenomenal season for Daniil Medvedev
Having started the phenomenal 2021 season by leading Russia to ATP Cup glory, Daniil Medvedev would be keen to end it on a high with the coveted Davis Cup title.
Russia have won the prestigious team championships only twice, with their last title coming way back in 2006. With the inclusion of Aslan Karatsev, Rublev and Medvedev, the squad looks strong and has the capability to get their hands on the trophy 15 years after winning their previous one.
The Davis Cup title would be a fitting end to what has been an incredible season for Medvedev both at the individual and team level. The 25-year-old clinched four titles this year, the biggest highlight of which was his maiden Grand Slam win at the US Open.
The Russian also rose to a career-high No. 2 in the rankings and had a chance to ascend to the pinnacle before Novak Djokovic dashed his hopes.
Having firmly cemented his position as the world's second-best player, a Davis Cup win could motivate Medvedev to chase the No. 1 ranking that he missed by a whisker this year.
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