It is only a matter of time before Daniil Medvedev clinches the world No.1 spot, according to 20-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
The two tennis titans currently occupy the top positions on the ATP rankings and have clashed in the final of two Grand Slam tournaments this season. Their latest encounter took place in Paris on Sunday when Djokovic rallied back from a set down to clinch a record 37th Masters 1000 title in what is a case of sweet revenge. The Serbian lost to Medvedev in the final of the US Open back in September.
Djokovic now leads his Russian rival 6-4 in their head-to-head whom he hails as one of the most formidable forces currently in the men’s game. So far this year Medvedev has achieved a win-loss record of 54-12 and has won four titles overall. Only Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev have won more matches on the ATP Tour than him at 55 each.
“There are no holes in his game right now. Both forehand and backhand are very solid,” Djokovic told reporters in Paris.
“Running forehand from mid court, something that probably wasn’t his forte in the past, he has improved a lot.’
“It’s just he always makes you play. He has a way to come back to the point from really difficult positions. For someone of his height, the movement and the defense is fantastic. And also, he has improved in his aggressive style’
“He’s one of the guys that you see, where you see the commitment and devotion to everyday training and trying to perfect his game. He’s a very smart and nice guy. Tries to maximize his potential.”
Djokovic has dominated the men’s Tour over the past decade along with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Although there are signs that the stronghold of the Big Three are starting to weaken as they get older. Paving wave for the next generation of players to make their mark. The eight Masters tournaments which have taken part this year have been won by seven different players with Zverev being the only person to have won multiple trophies.
However, it is Medvedev who Djokovic believes will be the player to look out for in the future. He currently trails the world No.1 by more than 2000 points in the ATP rankings.
“He’s closing in on the World No. 1 rankings. I’m sure he’s going to get it eventually, and when he does, it’s completely deserved, because he’s the leader of the next generation of players,” he said.
Despite his high praise of Medvedev, Djokovic has no plans of stepping aside any time soon as he seeks to break even more milestones in the future. He already holds the record for most years ending at No.1, weeks spent at No.1 and most Masters 1000 titles. Should he win the Australian Open in January he would also become the first male player to win a 21st singles title in the majors.
“Throughout my career, I have always been honest enough to say that the history of our sport is too big a motivation. It is an objective to prove that I can break all the records with all the results that I can obtain on the tour professionally,” he said.
“I love breaking records. I’m very motivated to carry on. My priority is the Grand Slams and Masters 1000 where you can gain the largest number of points. This is an added benefit of our sport.”
Djokovic and Medvedev could clash again at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals which will start in one week. Djokovic is bidding to win the tournament for a sixth time and Medvedev is aiming to defend his title.
