ATP Miami – Daniil Medvedev: “No one can take away the fact of having been world No. 1”

Daniil Medvedev is a bit in the position of being given a superb and delicious cake, before removing it from the table after just one bite. He had time to taste it, to find out how good it was, but not being able to bite into it any more caused some frustration.

Having become world number one for the first time in his life on February 28 when he left Acapulco, the Russian only stayed at the top of the hierarchy for three short weeks before handing over to Novak Djokovic last Monday, following an early elimination. in Indian Wells, where he lost in the 16th round against Gaël Monfils.

But the 2021 US Open winner doesn’t see it that way. One week, three weeks, six months, in his eyes, the important thing is already to have achieved this objective. “Nobody can take away the fact that I was number one in the worldhe pleaded Saturday in Miami after his victorious entry into the tournament against Andy Murray (6-4, 6-2). I did it. You can tell me ‘Yes, but you’ve only been there for two weeks’ (three, in reality, editor’s note). Yes, but I was there.”

And Medvedev to recall that by accessing the mathematical power of the ATP, even if, for the moment at least, in the form of a brief interim, he has integrated a closed circle, even more than that of the winners in Grand Slam. “Many legends of our sport have never managed to become world number one“, insists the protege of Gilles Cervara.

Daniil Medvedev is right. He now appears in the list of players who have appeared in the first place in the world and, with his three short weeks, he has already passed Patrick Rafter (one week) and Carlos Moya (two weeks) and that is anchored forever. No one can ever take it away from him. However, he does not necessarily want to settle for it. The power cake tastes like coming back.

“I obviously really want to come back to first placehe concedes. It is a motivation. After losing in Indian Wells, where I didn’t play well, I was like ‘OK, we’re going back to training, we’re trying to reach the semi-finals in Miamito find the place of N°1This is the minimum threshold for the Muscovite to continue his crossover at the top of the rankings with Novak Djokovic.

Eight players in the sights in the short term?

He has three matches left to win for that. Opposed to the Spaniard Pedro Martinez on Monday, Medvedev could then meet Jenson Brooksby or Roberto Bautista Agut then, in the quarters, Hubert Hurkacz, Aslan Karatsev, Lloyd Harris or Yoshihito Nishioka. Nothing insurmountable on paper, as long as it finds colors.

But in absolute terms, Daniil Medvedev does not want to change his approach. “World number one, it’s a motivation but yes it can add pressurehe believes. The others also want to beat you even more. So I want to win as many matches as possible, as many tournaments as possible, because that’s the best way to be number one. If I go to the semi-finals, I will be No. 1 again, but the objective will be to win the tournament, to take 700 more points and create a bigger gap..”

Casually, Medvedev could have the opportunity to climb significantly in the historical hierarchy. He is now 25th in number of weeks in power among the 27 champions who have held this position at least once. He is only three weeks behind the trio Rios – Muster – Kafelnikov, five behind Newcombe and Ferrero, six behind Safin and twelve and thirteen behind Becker and Roddick. With a title in Florida on Sunday, he would be within gunshot range of most of them. As well enjoy.