Daniil Medvedev’s premature exit at Indian Wells to help Novak Djokovic seal the year-end No.1 ranking
Follow Us
Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev
Just when it appeared that World No.1 Novak Djokovic would go on to win his fourth US Open and in the process also achieve the Calendar Slam for 2021, he was stopped at the final hurdle by World No.2 Daniil Medvedev.
In the finals of the recently concluded US Open, the Russian not only denied the Serb a unique feat, but he also prevented the top seed from winning his 21st Grand Slam and overtaking his rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Furthermore, after winning his maiden Grand Slam title, Medvedev had a chance to surpass Djokovic as the top-ranked player for the calendar year. However, the newly crowned US Open winner dented his hopes severely after losing in the fourth round of the 2021 Indian Wells Masters to Grigor Dimitrov.
Moreover, the Russian has also opted out of the Kremlin Cup in Russia next week, where he could have potentially added additional 250 points. Going forward, although Djokovic is defending the title in Paris, Medvedev will be forced to do the same in Turin.
Therefore, it is very unlikely that the World No.2 will end the year as the top-ranked player on the ATP tour. “With the calendar this year being extremely tough I felt that my body was not 100% anymore,” Medvedev wrote on social media. “This decision was very tough for me but it has to be done in order to be able to finish the 2021 season strong.”
Currently, the 20-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic has finished the year as a top-ranked player on six separate occasions. He is also tied with Pete Sampras. That said, in all likelihood, in a month, the Serb will pip the American legend to become the only player to finish the year as World No.1 on seven different occasions.
Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev likely to return at Bercy Masters
After losing in the finals in New York, the 34-year-old has not played a single competitive match. Djokovic even decided to skip the ongoing BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. However, as per some latest reports, the Serbian superstar is expected to show up at the upcoming Bercy Masters in Paris, followed by the ATP Finals in Turin.
Medvedev recently pulled out from the 2021 Kremlin Cup after his exit from the Indian Wells and is likely to join Novak for the Paris Masters.
Also Read: With no top-25 ranked player in the semifinals, 2021 Indian Wells creates ATP tour history
Stay Updated!
Vivek Krishnan
(767 Articles Published)