ATP finals winner Daniil Medvedev: the bully matures into a champion

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Daniil Medvedev: "In the third set, I played probably the best tennis of my career"

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ANDY RAIN / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock

It was a scene that says a lot about the maturing process of tennis player Daniil Medvedev: Thanks to a net scooter, Dominik Thiem, his counterpart in the final of the ATP final in London, had just won the first set.

The Russian ran forward again quite impetuously.

He would probably have gotten the ball from Thiem if it hadn't been for the net.

Medvedev gave a little twitch, but he couldn't get the bat on the ball.

In tennis, it's the most frustrating way to lose a point.

Now it was even the game.

And the sentence.

And Medvedev, who is known for his outbursts of anger, how did he react?

With a smile.

Thiem laughed too.

The British call this sportsmanship.

The 24-year-old Russian accepted this sporting misfortune fairly and decently.

It is possible that the current number four in the world rankings recalled an encounter with the Austrian nine years ago.

Back then, at a youth tournament, the two met for the first time.

Medvedev lost significantly.

He was acting crazy on the square at that time, Medvedev said of London these days.

“Ten times worse than today.” After the game, Thiem said to him: “You have a good future ahead of you, but you have to calm down.

Because I went nuts back then. "

Medvedev not only remained calm in the final of the ATP tournament after the fateful loss of points, he suddenly radiated an enormous lightness.

And in the end he just won this final 4: 6, 7: 6 and 6: 4, but deservedly.

It was an impressive performance: Medvedev won the traditional season end of the ATP Tour, this one-week elite meeting of the best eight professionals in the world, which is held in group mode, unbeaten.

He defeated Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, among others.

With the triumph over Thiem on late Sunday evening, it was then victories against the top three in the world rankings.

The success against the Austrian, who is currently the most complete player on the tour, was his masterpiece.

Because it was so surprising how it came about.

Thiem duped

Medvedev duped Thiem.

Not yet in the first movement, the Moscow-born man was looking for his rhythm there.

Thiem still seemed inspired by his dramatic semi-final victory over Djokovic from the previous day.

The US Open Champion reeled off his program with routine and confidence.

But then Medvedev changed his match schedule.

“I felt that Dominik wasn't up as fast anymore.

I've changed little things, ”he said afterwards.

Suddenly, the Russian, known for his unorthodox and unpredictable style of play, was increasingly online.

He had never been seen before.

Medvedev was clearly more proactive from the middle of the second set, repeatedly shooing Thiem across the entire width of the pitch with his forehand and acting tactically cleverly and variably.

When things got tight, he could count on his crashing first serve.

Just like in the tie-break of the second set.

"In the third set I played probably the best tennis of my career," said Medvedev, who left an extremely self-confident impression at the press conference following the match of his life.

Some would call that arrogant.

Medvedev has always polarized.

And he continues to do so.

The fact that he did not show the slightest movement after winning the match ball against Thiem and instead pretended that the greatest victory of his career was an arbitrary first-round success at a smaller ATP tournament should not have made him more popular with his critics.

"I just don't celebrate my victories anymore"

A reporter wanted to know why he hadn't shown at least a few emotions.

»I just don't celebrate my victories anymore, I decided that for myself after the US Open 2019 when I had problems with the fans.

And I'm fine with it, ”said Medvedev.

In New York a year ago, in the third round of the game against the Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, he annoyed the audience with a middle finger gesture and a provocative interview after the game.

Only after the tournament did he apologize for his failures.

In 2017 at Wimbledon, Medvedev threw coins in front of the chair of the main referee after being eliminated in the second round and wanted to indirectly accuse her of bribery.

He also regretted this faux pas afterwards.

Medvedev has since shed its lout image - with a rising world ranking position.

Its playfulness is undisputed anyway.

“Victory here will make me mature.

I now have the confidence for the upcoming Grand Slams, ”he said after his success at the ATP Finals.

This much seems clear after London: Medvedev will be more likely in 2021 than ever.

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