- Daniil Medvedev feels the world No.1 tags has a lot of pressure
- He will play at BNP Paribas Open for the first time as the world No.1
- Medvedev is likely to meet Rafael Nadal once again
He fought all the way to the top, and now Daniil Medvedev is the world No.1 but, the tag comes with a barrage of pressure and motivation.
The Russian who lost his bid for the Australian Open 2022 Grand Slam to Rafael Nadal heads is in full knowledge of what awaits him.
It is now clearer as heads to BNP Paribas Open in the wearing a new tag as world No.1.
First, Medvedev became the first player other than Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray to reach the top of the rankings in nearly 20 years.
He dethroned Djokovic in February. Medvedev’s last two seasons saw him at the 2021 US Open. He also finished second at three Grand Slams, including this year’s Australian Open.
His rise to the top came as a result of this meteoric rise.
Daniil Medvedev in Mexico. Photo/Surprise Sports
As the world No. 1 in Indian Wells, though, there will be a different kind of stress, and he admits so.
“I think it’s a lot of pressure, but at the same time a lot of motivation,” Tennis 365 reports
“I’m going to try to do my best. It’s the same every tournament you play, try to gain as many points as possible. Here it’s 1,000 points. But of course, the draw is very tough, a lot of strong players, so it’s not easy to make it.”
As he led Nadal by two sets to one in the final of the Australian Open, Medvedev looked set to win his second Grand Slam. The Spaniard, on the other hand, came back to win in five sets.
Medvedev says this loss made him ‘mature’ because it pointed to his weak points which he needed to work on.
It was after the first major that he went to Acapulco for the Mexican Open, where he lost to Rafael Nadal in the semi-final again.
However, he looks at redeeming himself by playing with Nadal again at the Indian Wells.
Medvedev admits that his energy was not right when he was playing Nadal in Acapulco but he hopes to change it all.
In other news, Medvedev and Olympic silver medalist Karen Khachanov have deleted the Russian flag from their Instagram accounts.
The good news for the pair is that they will be allowed to compete on the tour and in the Grand Slam tournaments for the foreseeable future.
This is not a guarantee that any Russian players will be able to travel to any of the countries that the ATP Tour stops in.
Daniil Medvedev. Photo/Sky Sports
A good showing at the two ATP 1000 tournaments in the United States this month is necessary for Medvedev to retain his World No. 1 ranking.
In preparation for the Sunshine Double, which brings the ATP and WTA tours together, it appears he will compete in Indian Wells and Miami.
As a result, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITF) has suspended the Russian and Belarus national teams from all ITF-affiliated international competitions “until further notice.”
Russia’s tennis events, which were set for October, have been cancelled by both the ATP and WTA because of deteriorating security.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF), WTA, and ATP all agreed on the sanctions that had been proposed before.
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