After a stellar US Open run, Daniil Medvedev is looking forward to the rest of the year’s hard-court season in an attempt to seal one of his most prolific seasons to date. The Russian had endured early exits at the Australian Open and Roland Garros, but his season, otherwise, has produced numerous ATP tour title wins and grand slam successes.
The world no. 3’s ongoing rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz has had many fans in a delirium. The competition between the two players has produced top-tier, high-quality tennis and has raised the level of the sport in terms of fan engagement and viewership ratings.
Daniil Medvedev talks about facing Carlos Alcaraz
Both players have had a quiet presence post the US Open, with time off aiding their preparation for the upcoming Shangai Open in China. The possibility of a reunion between Alcaraz and Medvedev is not one to go under the radar and will headline the tournament and bring in scores of Chinese fans, who will be eager to witness some spectacular tennis.
Daniil Medvedev pepped up the prospect of a meeting with Alcaraz by talking about their paths in the Shangai Open, which would cross only in the final.
“I think if we end up facing each other this week, we will both be happy, since we would both be in the final. It’s a good goal, trying to make this happen.”, he said.
The Shangai Open is an ATP Masters 500 tournament, which essentially means a lot of quality players will throng the tennis court during its two-week run. In Mededev’s own words, it is remarkable for a tournament like this to be this competitive, bringing it on par with grand slams and Masters 1000 events.
Almost all of the top-10 players are scheduled to play, with the notable exception of Novak Djokovic, and the roster of elite talent on display is sure to produce some high-profile exits in the early stages of the tournament.
Daniil Medvedev vs Carlos Alcaraz head-to-head
The pair stand at an indistinguishable 2-2 in their head-to-head meetings. With the exception of a 2021 Wimbledon meeting in which Medvedev trounced an upcoming Alcaraz, the duo have sparred regularly over the course of the current calendar season.
Their first meeting was in the Indian Wells Masters final, where Alcaraz defeated Medvedev in straight sets. The pair met again in the Wimbledon semifinals, where Alcaraz, yet again, emerged victorious. The Spaniard was in red-hot form in London and would eventually go on to seal his place among the All-England Club’s most distinguished champions.
Thus, when the pair met for the third time this year at the US Open, many opined that Medvedev had a monumental task at hand. However, the rangy Russian displayed a masterclass performance to defeat Alcaraz 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
How much are you looking forward to a battle between the duo for the fourth time this year? Let us know in the comments section below.