Medvedev more motivated than ever

If there is one player who simply thrives on hardcourts, it is Daniil Medvedev, and 2024 promises to be an eventful year for the world No 3, who is hoping to finally get over the final hurdle at the Australian Open.

Medvedev reached the final at Melbourne Park in 2021 and 2022, but fell to two of the "Big Three", first losing in straight sets to Novak Djokovic, before Rafa Nadal overcame overwhelming odds, and a two-set deficit, to emerge victorious.

The Russian took a long time to recover from the body blow of Nadal's stunning comeback, losing his way in a topsy-turvy 2022 season while a third-round loss in Melbourne last year saw him drop out of the top 10.

While such a decline would have knocked down most seasoned pros, it was all the motivation Medvedev needed to spring back to his feet and return to his best.

He rediscovered his magic touch and suddenly turned things around as he embarked on an explosive run, winning 25 of his next 26 matches to claim four titles in five tournaments.

Although he was denied a "Sunshine Double" when Carlos Alcaraz beat him in the Indian Wells final, Medvedev did not stop there as he even found success in Rome where he won his first title on clay — the surface he despises the most.

By then he had made the third spot in the rankings his own, capping the season off with a semifinal run at Wimbledon and another summit clash at the US Open, where it was a case of deja vu as he fell to an unstoppable Djokovic yet again.

Nevertheless, Medvedev finished 2023 with 66 victories — more than any player on the ATP Tour — with 49 wins coming on hardcourts.

And the 27-year-old, who has reached five Grand Slam finals on hardcourts, is a man on a mission in 2024.

"I have the biggest motivation ever to just continue finding my limits, to just go for more. Try to be even more professional, try to fight harder, be better on the court," he told The National.

"I have big motivation to be even stronger physically to manage the season until the end and, hopefully, I can have a lot of great tournaments."

Medvedev's last appearance was at the season-ending ATP Finals in November and he normally starts his season in Australia by playing a tune-up tournament before the year's first Grand Slam.

But with Russia banned from the mixed-gender United Cup tournament and Medvedev choosing not to play in Brisbane or Adelaide, he will parachute into Melbourne Park with no competitive tennis in nearly two months.

However, it is all part of the plan to pace himself this season.

"At the end of the season, I was a little bit all over the place because I was mentally tired," he added.

"So I'm going to try to do all of this better (in 2024) and hopefully I can become a better player."

REUTERS