Daniil Medvedev was on the precipice of a second Grand Slam victory after taking a two-set lead over Rafael Nadal in the final of the Australian Open.
The Russian had defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2021 US Open in straight sets to secure his maiden crown. Successive victories were in his grasp and there was every possibility he’d go on to make his mark as the heir apparent to the two superstars of the men’s game.
However, Nadal roared back to win the remaining three sets to stun Medvedev. The result caused a shocking downturn in the form of the Russian. He endured an underwhelming 2022 season as he was knocked out in the fourth round of the French Open and didn’t compete in Wimbledon.
Decline
On his return to Flushing Meadows, Medvedev struggled for rhythm and the defense of his crown was ended in the fourth round by Nick Kyrgios. It proved to be a dramatic fall from grace for Medvedev, and a 2022 season that started with great promise was one that he would wish to forget in a hurry.
Unfortunately for Medvedev, his bad spell lingered into the early stages of the 2023 campaign. After reaching back-to-back Australian Open finals, the Russian was eliminated in the third round.
For a player who relishes hard courts, Medvedev’s form was a concern heading into ATP Tour events at Indian Wells and Miami. However, the 27-year-old regained his touch at Indian Wells with a surge to the final and then built on his form at the Miami Open with a brilliant performance to win the event.
Although there would be disappointments at the French Open, Medvedev truly announced that he was back to his best with a run to the semi-finals at Wimbledon. Only the best in the game halted his charge for a second Grand Slam, losing in the last four at the All England Club and then to Djokovic at the US Open.
Encouragement
There is plenty of encouragement for Medvedev to take forward into the 2024 season compared to where he was at the end of the 2022 campaign. He is now one of the top three contenders in the online sports betting odds to win the Australian Open, which would be a moment of redemption for the Russian.
However, the obstacle of Djokovic is still one that he has to overcome on a consistent basis. The Serb has won five out of their last six meetings since Medvedev’s victory at the US Open in 2021. The dismissive nature of his defeat in 2023 proved that Djokovic still has a huge psychological edge over the rest of the field.
Medvedev is one of the best out of the challenging pack and has had his breakthrough moment, but there is still some way to go to topple Djokovic as the leading man. The two could be on a collision course again in Melbourne to start the Grand Slam year, which could be a pivotal moment for the Russian.