Daniil Medvedev: Keep dreaming, kid - Issue #17
Taking a look at Daniil Medvedev’s game and unique mindset.
Written by Dove Sallow
“The kid stopped dreaming. The kid is going to play for himself. That’s it. That’s my story.”
This was a statement made by one of the most polarizing figures in recent ATP history, Daniil Medvedev, after he lost to Rafa Nadal at the 2022 Australian Open. This quote was heartbreaking for many reasons, but it was also very telling of how difficult it is for tennis players to have a breakthrough and leave a true impact on the sport. Daniil is only one of 5 men to win a grand slam, besides the Big Four, in the last 12 years. On top of that, he is one of only two men to reach the #1 ranking, outside of the Big Four, in the past 18 years. He is an undeniable success story in a sport where there’s been little room for new talent to reach the very top. Why would such a talented and accomplished athlete ever stop dreaming?
I believe Daniil is one of the most gifted players to play the game. He stands 6’ 6" tall and his frame is somewhat lanky. He somehow covers the court like a player 6 inches shorter, but still has the luxury of bombing first serves. He’s been called “The Octopus” by tennis fans and commentators due to his innate ability to get every ball back - almost as if he has eight tentacles. His strokes are awkward and unconventional, particularly on his forehand wing. He hits the ball about as flat as you’ll ever see an ATP player hit, but rarely makes unforced errors. I say this with complete love and admiration - Daniil has the most awkward-looking game on tour, but that’s part of the magic that sets him apart. You wouldn’t call him a “natural” athlete, but he somehow gets to every ball with plenty of time and has a knack for timing the ball perfectly that cannot be taught. Medvedev has taken a page out of Rafa and Djokovic’s books by standing 6 feet behind the baseline to return serve. The average 6’ 6" player could never get away with this, but his court coverage and instincts make him a multidimensional athlete that can play from all areas of the court. Daniil is a delightful and welcome anomaly to the ever-changing field of men’s tennis.
Medvedev’s rise has been incredible to watch. Since he played in that US Open Final against Rafa in 2019, the Russian has only improved. He’s been a constant and challenging task for Rafa and Djokovic ever since. Daniil famously stopped Djokovic from winning the US Open in 2021, which would’ve given Novak the calendar-year grand slam. In fact, he defeated Novak in straight sets (6-4, 6-4, 6-4). To circle back to the now very famous quote I mentioned earlier, the Russian followed up his 2021 US Open title with another final at the 2022 Australian Open. He was impressive throughout the entire event and even saved a match point against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals before he came back to win the match. He found himself in the final against Rafa Nadal, where he led two sets to love and had three break points in the third set. But Rafa did what Rafa does best - he dug his heels in and found a way to win. To make matters worse, Medvedev faced a relentless crowd for the entirety of the match. His great shots were met with little to no support and he was even booed at times.
This crowd was the catalyst that led to his famous statement “The kid stopped dreaming.”
To face one of the greatest players of all-time in front of thousands of screaming fans is without question a tremendous honor. But to receive hardly any support for your efforts must be a bitter pill to swallow. I believe Daniil felt as though no matter what he achieved, he’d never win the masses over and receive the support he once dreamt of as a kid. He knew he was one of a small list of men to actually break through the impenetrable fortress that is the Big Four, and claim his piece of history. To get to the other side of that and to still be treated as an outcast on one of the biggest stages in tennis must’ve been a lonely feeling.
“Before Rafa serves even in the fifth set, there would be somebody, and I would even be surprised, like one guy screaming, C’ mon, Daniil. A thousand people would be like, Tsss, tsss, tsss. That sound. Before my serve, I didn’t hear it. It’s disappointing. It’s disrespectful, it’s disappointing…”
The Russian has struggled since this loss, particularly in big events. He lost in the 4th round of Roland Garros to Marin Cilic, the 4th round of the US Open, and did not win a single match at the ATP Finals (a tournament he won last year). In addition, Daniil was banned from playing Wimbledon this year along with all Russian and Belarusian players. Losing a Grand Slam Final in the manner he did against Rafa does things to a player’s psyche. He was winning comfortably, just a few points away from making some more history of his own. But to face one of the greatest players in history, to be on the receiving end of that one-sided crowd, to have the match flipped on him, and to come up short would make any player question their abilities. Although he struggled throughout the rest of the year, Daniil went on to win two lower level titles (Los Cabos and Vienna).
Daniil has already accomplished so much in his young career. As a fan of his unconventional game and quirky personality, I hope he gets his confidence and form back for the 2023 season. He wears his heart on his sleeve and lets all of us in every time he takes the court. His on-court demeanor upsets some. But to those that dislike him, I implore you to take a moment to try and understand him. He’s been on the outside his entire life. This is a man who tweeted “Won $150 in futures” when he won his first ATP match in 2011. Coming from a country that is never fully embraced by a crowd, Daniil had dreams of winning all of us over when he was a kid. He took his unconventional game and those dreams he had as a kid and made them a reality. When he’s lashed out at crowds in the past, I reckon it’s because that kid in him still hasn’t stopped dreaming. He still feels like an outsider and he wants us to love him. Why haven’t we let him in? Why haven’t we applauded him when he’s toppled our heroes like Rafa and Djokovic? Why haven’t we welcomed him and cheered for him when he’s been able to do the impossible? For our sake, I hope the kid in Daniil never stops dreaming. That kid in him is probably the only one that believed in him when no one else did. It’s the thing inside him that drove him to be all that he is today. Daniil Medvedev is unusual and difficult to understand, but he’s without question one of the most interesting and complicated successes in recent ATP memory. So please… keep dreaming, kid.