World No 1, Cervara, Russia: Everything you always wanted to know about Daniil Medvedev (but never had time to find out) – updated after 2024 US Open quarter-final loss
2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev is one of only 27 men to have been ranked No 1 in the world. Here is everything you need to know about the Russian, who also reached the final of the 2024 Australian Open
Daniil Medvedev at the 2023 Miami Open
You can follow Daniil Medvedev on Twitter and Instagram
Who is Daniil Medvedev?
Daniil Medvedev is a professional tennis player from Russia. As of September 8, 2024, he has won 20 singles titles, including the US Open in 2021 and is ranked No 5 in the world.
How did Medvedev fare at the 2024 US Open?
The Russian reached the quarter-finals in New York in 2024 with wins over Dusan Lajovic, Fabian Marozsan, Flvaio Cobolli and Nuno Borges. He went down to world No 1 Jannik Sinner in four sets in the last eight.
What is Daniil Medvedev’s highest ranking?
Daniil Medvedev first became the world No 1 in men’s tennis on Monday February 28, 2022. The Russian learnt that he had achieved the milestone on February 24, 2022 when Novak Djokovic lost in the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 event in Dubai while Medvedev had advanced to the quarters of the ATP 500 in Acapulco.
His reign lasted just two weeks, but he regained top spot on June 13, 2022 and has been No 1 for a total of 16 weeks in his career thus far. Medvedev became the 27th player to become world No 1 in men’s tennis since the ATP rankings were introduced in August 1973.
How many ATP Tour titles has Daniil Medvedev won?
Medvedev has won 20 titles, including one Grand Slam title. He won his first ATP Tour title in Sydney in 2018. His most recent win came in May 2023, when he won the Italian Open, his first ever clay-court title.
Interestingly, Medvedev’s 20 titles have all come at different tournaments:
- Sydney
- Winston-Salem
- Tokyo
- Sofia
- Cincinnati
- St. Petersburg
- Shanghai
- Paris
- ATP Finals (London)
- Marseille
- Mallorca
- Toronto
- US Open
- Los Cabos
- Vienna
- Rotterdam
- Doha
- Dubai
- Miami
- Rome
How many Grand Slam titles has Medvedev won?
The Russian won his first Grand Slam title, and so far the only one, at the 2021 US Open, beating world No 1 Novak Djokovic in the final, stopping the Serb from completing the coveted calendar-year Grand Slam. The Russian dropped just one set all tournament and is the first Russian man to win a major since Marat Safin won the Australian Open in 2005.
With his defeat to Jannik Sinner in the 2024 Australian Open final, Medvedev’s record in Grand Slam finals is now 1-5.
WHAT DID DANIIL MEDVEDEV ACHIEVE AT THe MADRID MASTERS IN 2024?
By beating Alexander Bublik in the fourth round, Daniil Medvedev became only the 10th man to reach the quarter-finals or better of all nine Masters 1000 events. The Russian joins Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Gael Monfils, Marin Cilic, Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov to achieve the feat.
What did Daniil Medvedev do at Indian Wells in 2024?
Daniil Medvedev made the final of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells for the second year in a row in 2024.
In a repeat of the previous year’s final, he lost to Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (5), 6-1. The Russian raced ahead 3-0 in the opening set, before Alcaraz pegged Medvedev back and forced a tiebreaker. Winning the breaker 7-5, Alcaraz played a much higher level in the second to storm home 6-1 and become the second player under the age of 21 to win five or more Masters 1000 titles.
What happened to Daniil Medvedev at the 2024 Australian Open?
Medvedev spent over a full day on court at the 2024 Australian Open, reaching the final and going two sets up against Jannik Sinner but losing 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. He created a record for the most amount of time spent on court during a singles campaign at a Grand Slam event.
He had only one straight-sets win during his campaign. Medvedev’s results were as following:
- First round: 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 1-0 (walkover) v Atmane
- Second round: 3-6, 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-0 v Ruusuvuori
- Third round: 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 v Auger-Aliassime
- Fourth round: 6-3, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-1 v Borges
- Quarter-final: 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 v Hurkacz
- Semi-final: 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3 v Zverev
- Final: 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 lost to Sinner
What did Daniil Medvedev do at the 2023 ATP Finals?
Medvedev reached the semi-finals of the 2023 ATP Finals, losing to Jannik Sinner 6-3, (4) 6-7, 6-1 in that las four match.
Medvedev qualified from the group stage in second place, behind Carlos Alcaraz. He beat compatriot Andrey Rublev and Germany’s Alexander Zverev both in straight sets, before losing to Alcaraz 6-4, 6-4.
What did Daniil Medvedev do at the US Open in 2023?
Daniil Medvedev reached the final of the US Open for the second time, beating Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals before going down to Novak Djokovic in the championship match. The Russian had a set point in the second set but eventually went down 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
He followed this up with another run to the final of the China Open in Beijing – an ATP 500 event – losing to Jannik Sinner in that final, his first loss to the Italian in seven matches.
What did Daniil Medvedev say ABOUT being back and PLAYING AT Wimbledon in 2023?
In early 2023, it was announced that Russian and Belarusian players will be allowed to play at Wimbledon and other tournaments in the UK if they agree to compete as neutral athletes and comply with “appropriate conditions”.
Speaking after his Miami triumph, the Russian said he was happy to be able to play at Wimbledon this year after missing out from the tournament in 2022 due to the ban on Russian and Belarusian players.
“About Wimbledon, I’m really happy. Same about Olympics,” he said. “Every tournament I can play I’m happy to play tennis all over the world, to play for the fans, to play for people. Last year I was not able to play. Well, I practised. I practised and got ready for next tournaments. But I’m really happy that I can try to make better result this year. That’s the only tournament I haven’t been in quarters.”
What was Medvedev’s stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022?
Daniil Medvedev said he is “all for peace”, pointing out how great it was that Andrey Rublev, the Russian player, and Denys Molchanov, a Ukrainian, had won the doubles title together in Marseille in 2022.
“Watching the news from home, waking up here in Mexico, was not easy,” Medvedev told reporters in Mexico, where he was playing in the ATP event. “By being a tennis player, I want to promote peace all over the world. We play in so many different countries; I’ve been in so many countries as a junior and as a pro. It’s just not easy to hear all this news. … I’m all for peace.”
What surgery did Medvedev undergo in 2022?
The Russian underwent hernia surgery in early April and said he would be off the circuit for a month or two. He returned in Geneva in May and then reached the last 16 at the French Open. He then made the final of his first grass-court event in the Netherlands but lost to wildcard Tim van Rijthoven.
The Russian reached the final and led by two sets, only to lose to Rafael Nadal in five hours and 24 minutes. He was bidding to become the first ATP player to ever win his second Grand Slam title at the very next Grand Slam after winning his first. Medvedev fell to 1-3 lifetime in Major finals with the defeat.
What is Daniil Medvedev’s nationality?
Daniil Medvedev is Russian. He was born in Moscow, Russia. Even if he lives and train between France and Monaco since 2014, he has never considered to change his nationality.
How old is Medvedev?
Medvedev was born on February 11, 1996, which makes him 28 years old as of September 2024.
Who are Medvedev’s parents?
Daniil Medvedev is the son of Sergey Medvedev and Olga Medvedeva. His little sister is named Elena.
What does Medvedev mean in Russian?
Medvedev is a family name originating from the Russian word “medved”, which stands for “bear”. Many Eastern Europe personalities are named Medvedev, such as former Russian president Dmitri Medvedev and former tennis champion Andrei Medvedev, runner-up at Roland-Garros in 1999. Daniil Medvedev has nothing to see with them.
What are Medvedev’s best moments as a player?
Medvedev’s greatest moment came at the US Open in 2021 when he won his first Grand Slam title, beating Novak Djokovic in the final.
He has also reached five other Slam finals; at the US Open final in 2019, where he pushed Rafael Nadal to five sets, at the Australian Open in 2021 and the US Open in 2023, when he was beaten in straight sets by Djokovic on both occasions, and at the Australian Open in 2024 where he lost to Jannik Sinner in five sets.
In London in 2020, Medvedev became the first player in Nitto ATP Finals history to defeat the Top 3 ATP players by ranking at the same Nitto ATP Finals, and just the fourth player to do it in ATP history (since 1990).
Medvedev has won 20 ATP Tour titles in his career, including five so far in 2023.
Has Medvedev ever won the Davis Cup?
Yes. Medvedev led the Russian Tennis Federation team to glory in the Davis Cup in 2021, winning all his matches in the group stages and knockout phase, including the final.
What was Medvedev’s nickname in UTS4?
Medvedev, who made his debut in UTS4 in May 2021, was nicknamed “The Chessmaster”, thanks to his love of chess and his technical prowess on the court. The Russian headlined the eight-man field for UTS4, which was held May 24, 25 at the Mouratoglou Academy on the French Riviera.
Tennis betting is a difficult art when Medvedev plays on clay. He can lose to anyone on a bad day and win the greatest titles on the best weeks, like in Rome in 2023.
Where does Daniil Medvedev train?
Medvedev and his family settled in Antibes, France when he was 18. He joined the Elite Tennis Center run by Jean-René Lisnard (ex-world No.84), in Cannes. Medvedev then moved to Monte-Carlo in 2017. Several of his fellow players live in Monaco, including Novak Djokovic, Zverev, Milos Raonic, Gäel Monfils and Grigor Dimitrov. Medvedev speaks Russian, French and English.
Currently, Medvedev trains at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, founded by Patrick Mouratoglou, in France when he is not competing on the tour and that serves as his training base.
Who is Medvedev’s coach?
Gilles Cervara has been Medvedev’s full-time coach since September 2017.
Cervara is the Elite Tennis Center co-founder, along with Lisnard. Cervara was a sparring partner for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Thomas Enqvist, Marat Safin and Justine Henin. Cervara was named ATP Coach of the Year by his peers in 2019 after Medvedev’s breakout season (four titles including two Masters 1000s, as well as finishing as the US Open runner-up, year-end world No.5). His fitness trainer is Eric Hernandez, who also works in the Elite Tennis Center.
In February 2024, Gilles Simon, the former world No 6, joined Medvedev’s team.
Is Daniil Medvedev related to Andrei Medvedev?
Daniil Medvedev has no family ties with Andrei Medvedev.
Andrei Medvedev was a Ukrainian tennis player who was on the Tour during the 1990s. He won 11 titles, including four Masters 1000 events. Medvedev also reached the 1999 French Open final, which he lost against Andre Agassi after blowing a two-set lead. He was the champion at the Roland-Garros junior event in 1991. His highest ATP ranking was No 4 in 1994.
Who is Daniil Medvedev’s wife?
Medvedev married Daria in September 2018 after living with her for four years. A former top 100 junior tennis player, Daria studied journalism.
“Daria is my main support. I cannot say anything without her. She showed me the beauty of life, which I had never seen before. Life is beautiful! I would like to live all my life with her. She is much more confident than me. She showed me how to handle life.”
Daria gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Alisa, on October 14, 2022.
Which racquet does Medvedev play with?
Medvedev plays with the Tecnifibre ATP TFight 305 XTC racquet, like Jeremy Chardy. The Russian’s clothing sponsor is Lacoste, with whom he signed a deal in 2019. His previous sponsor was Lotto. He wears Nike shoes.
How much prize money has Daniil Medvedev won in his career?
As of September 8, 2024, Medvedev has earned $42.07 million in prize money from tournaments. You can find his updated prize money stats on his profile page on the ATP Tour website.
Is there a chance Medvedev will play Nadal at this open?