World number two Daniil Medvedev is enjoying a very good week in Miami.
In fact, he is one win away from securing the world number one ranking once again.
Victory tonight against defending champion Hubert Hurkacz, will mean that Medvedev will kick off April next week, in pole position going into the third Masters event of the year, in Monte Carlo.
Which ironically, is home for the 26-year-old Russian.
This week he has blown away the likes of former world number one, Britain’s Andy Murray in straight sets.
As well as Spain’s Pedro Martinez and American Jenson Brooksby, and is yet to drop a set.
It’s safe to say Medvedev has been in inspired form.
And why? He looks motivated to claim back what he sees as rightfully his…the world number one name tag.
As well as the fact that the reigning US Open champion knows that he underperformed in California, after going down in three sets to Gaël Monfils.
But how can he improve?
Well, Medvedev is seen by some as incredibly strong on hard-courts but weak on the likes of clay and grass.
If he is to improve on these surfaces, he’s going to need a mentor.
Now, how awesome would it be if he recruited one of his idols in Marat Safin.
A former world number one, if anyone knows the kind of pressure Medvedev will face when the whole of the ATP Tour wants to beat you, it’s Safin.
Ironically, both players have appeared in a total of four Grand Slam finals.
They also share the similarity of both having won the US Open.
For Safin, his maiden Grand Slam victory came in New York way back in the year 2000 against home hope, Pete Sampras.
Think how hard a challenge that was for the then 20-year-old Russian.
But he had balls of steel to beat Sampras in his prime. A player who was world number one, riding high with seven Wimbledon titles and 13 Grand Slam titles to his name.
He would later go on to win his 14th and final major in 2002 at the US Open.
However, case and point is that Safin beat a player nine years his senior, and one of the best of all time, in his first ever Grand Slam final.
That shows how well Safin knows tennis and can handle nerves on the biggest stages in the world.
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The only difference now is that he finished his career with two Grand Slams, and was therefore two for two in major finals.
Medvedev has won one, being last year’s US Open against Novak Djokovic and has lost the other three. Two against Rafael Nadal and another to Djokovic.
Like Safin, Medvedev also has a natural affinity for hard-courts.
Both have enjoyed success at the Australian Open and US Open. Medvedev with two final appearances at each. Safin with three Australian Open finals and one US Open.
Safin’s final Grand Slam title coming at the 2005 Australian Open, which was more or less the last time a man other than Roger Federer, Nadal or Djokovic would win a major over 15 years.
With Murray and Stan Wawrinka three times each, Marin Cilic, Juan Martin Del Potro, Dominic Thiem, and of course Medvedev one apiece, breaking the mould.
So, what can Safin add?
After that history lesson, you can see some clear parallels in their careers.
Yes, Safin also was not successful on clay or grass, like the current day Medvedev, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t help the modern-day Russian sports star.
If anything, the 42-year-old is seen as one of the legends of the game, and is often referenced by Federer as someone that pushed the Swiss to the limit, and got the best out of him in the early stages of his career.
That’s how highly Safin is rated within the game.
So, just think if that knowledge and experience was tapped into to help Medvedev to finally conqueror two surfaces he has struggled with in recent years.
We’ve seen Murray work with legend Ivan Lendl for a third time now. As well as both Cilic and Djokovic turning to Croatian and former Wimbledon champion, Goran Ivanišević.
Kei Nishikori has had Michael Chang in his corner for nearly a decade. Whilst Nadal has experienced stunning success with former world number one Carlos Moyá, his own idol.
Federer himself has former world number four, Ivan Ljubičić. Although, not a Grand Slam champion himself, the knowledge of a former top ten player can prove invaluable, especially in high pressure match situations.
Overall Verdict – James Spencer (Twitter @jspencer28)
For Medvedev to stay at the top of the sport and become one of the best of all time, he may well need a man like Safin to help him to achieve this goal.
Of course, he got there without a super coach which was all the more impressive, and worthy of respect.
However, if he wants to challenge Nadal on clay, and Djokovic on grass, recruiting someone with experience, and know-how, could well prove the catalyst to help him make the minor adjustments needed to become a major force on those surfaces.
Sometimes converting weaknesses into our greatest strengths is the most fulfilling journey of all.
With both the clay and grass-court seasons on the horizon, now might be the perfect time for Medvedev to give one of his idols a call.
